Timepiece Display Synthesizing Clock Hands and Data Without Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional timepiece displays face challenges in presenting additional information without overlapping with clock hand images, which can obscure the view of the time.
Innovation Solution
A timepiece system that includes processors and a display unit, capable of obtaining clock hand images and prescribed information, synthesizing image data to prevent overlap, and modifying display manners such as transparency to ensure clear visibility of both clock hands and additional information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If additional information is displayed on the dial to increase information availability, then the quantity of information increases, but the clock hand image may overlap with the information display region making time reading difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by transitioning from a two-dimensional plane layout to a three-dimensional layered display structure. The clock hand image and additional information are arranged in different depth layers, allowing both to be displayed simultaneously without spatial overlap. The clock hand image is positioned in a first layer while additional information is displayed in a second layer at a different depth, enabling users to view both elements clearly without obstruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes transparency and opacity variations to resolve the overlap issue. By adjusting the transparency of the clock hand image or the additional information display regions, the system allows both elements to coexist in the same visual space. The transparent or translucent properties enable users to perceive both the clock hands and additional information simultaneously, eliminating the harmful overlap effect while maintaining high information availability.
2Ease of operation
If the display shows both clock hand image and additional information clearly, then readability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to synthesis and transparency modification processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or manual display adjustment mechanisms with automated image processing and synthesis techniques. Instead of requiring physical repositioning of display elements or manual adjustment of transparency levels, the system uses computational image synthesis to automatically arrange the clock hand image and additional information in appropriate layers with suitable transparency settings. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while enhancing readability through intelligent software-based display control.
Data Source
AI summary
A timepiece includes: one or more processors; and a display unit controlled by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors perform: a clock hand image obtaining process that obtains a clock hand image; an information obtaining process that obtains prescribed information; a display control process that controls the display unit so as to display on the display unit the clock hand image obtained by the clock hand image obtaining process and the prescribed information obtained by the information obtaining process; a synthesizing process that synthesizes image data of the clock hand image and an image for the prescribed information such that the clock hand image does not overlap with a display region for the prescribed information on the display unit; and a process of causing the display unit to display the clock hand image and the prescribed information in accordance with the synthesized image data.