GB2327779A

GB2327779A - Time display

Info

Publication number: GB2327779A
Application number: GB9815690A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tae-Guen Park
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 1997-07-28
Filing date: 1998-07-20
Publication date: 1999-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-20
Also published as: KR19990012146A; CN1206900A; GB2327779B; GB9815690D0; CN1119786C

Abstract

A method is disclosed for displaying world time on a pager or mobile telephone having a display and a memory storing information on a reference region and information on geographical regions, local times of which are to be displayed, comprising the steps of: storing in the memory the information on the regions designated by a user; and searching the memory for the information on the regions and displaying on the display the local times of the designated regions. The display may scroll through the information.

Description

METHOD FOR DISPLAYING WORLD TIME IN A PORTABLE TERMINAL The present invention relates to a method for displaying world time in a portable terminal, and more particularly, to a method for displaying the local times of a plurality of different regions of the world.

In general, a portable terminal, e.g., a radio paging receiver and a portable telephone, displays current time in an idle state.

In a conventional time display method, a portable terminal displays the current time of a specific geographical region only. Hence, in a case where a user of the portable terminal wants to know the local time of another country, he has to calculate the time difference between the region where he is currently located and the other country, with reference to a time difference table, in order to obtain the local time of the other country he wants to know. This is very troublesome and time-consuming.

Furthermore, in a conventional world time display method, a portable terminal only displays the local time of the region selected by a key operation. Hence, in the case where a user wants to know the local times of several regions of the world, he has to execute several key operations.

To get the local date and time of a specific region in the world, the user firstly inputs a function key for entering a world time display mode. Then, the portable terminal displays the local date and time of the first region and then the local date and time of the next region selected by a key operation of the user. Therefore, this type of world time display method is disadvantageous in that it is necessary to execute several key operations to see the local date and time of the several regions of the world. Furthermore, in the case where the priority of the region of which the local date and time the user wants to see is lower (i.e. for less commonly-selected regions of the world), it takes long time for the user to obtain the local date and time of his desired region since more key operations are needed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of simply displaying the local times of multiple regions of the world.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of alternately displaying the local times of multiple regions of the world.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a method for displaying world time in a portable terminal having a display and a memory for storing information on a reference region and information on multiple regions, local times of which are to be displayed. In the method, the information on the multiple regions designated by a user is stored in the memory.

The information on the designated regions is read and the local times of the designated regions are displayed on the display at predetermined intervals.

Preferably, the current time of the reference region is displayed on the display, if the regions, the local times of which it is desired to display, have not been designated.

Preferably, the local times of the multiple regions are displayed alternately.

Preferably, the display is a horizontally-scrolling display on which the local times of the multiple regions are displayed.

Preferably, the local times of the multiple regions are displayed together with corresponding geographical names or other suitable labelling.

It will be appreciated that the invention includes within its scope a method for displaying world time in a portable terminal substantially as described herein with reference to any appropriate combination of the accompanying Figures.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radio paging receiver to which the present invention is applicable; FIG. 2 is a flow chart for designating a region, the local time of which is to be displayed in a portable terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a flow chart for displaying the local times of multiple regions of the world in a portable terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Figs. 4A to 4D are diagrams displaying the local times of multiple regions of the world in a portable terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radio paging receiver to which the present invention is applicable. As illustrated, the radio paging receiver consists of a controller 110, a memory 120, a keypad 130, a frequency synthesizer 140, an RF (Radio Frequency) circuit 150, a decoder 160, a display 170 and an alarm 180.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a detailed description will be made to the overall operation of the radio paging receiver according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The controller 110 controls a paging service function of the radio paging receiver. Furthermore, the controller 110 having a timer, controls the overall operation of the radio paging receiver to execute a function of displaying the local times of multiple regions of the world according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The memory 120 stores information for the radio paging receiver, a program for displaying the local times of multiple regions of the world, display data, i.e., guide messages according to a mode change, and information on the time in the reference region and on the region to be displayed.

The keypad 130 consists of a plurality of keys for generating various control signals for the radio paging receiver, e.g., a power key for switching on/off the power of the radio paging receiver, a mode key for embodying various operations and functions and a read key for displaying stored messages.

If the mode key and read key of the keypad 130 are simultaneously entered, key data for changing a mode is generated. After a mode change is set, the read key and mode key execute a function of selecting the content to be changed and a function of storing changed data. The keypad 130 generates key data corresponding to a setting of a time display region designating mode and a mode of displaying the local times of multiple regions of the world, and applies the key data to the controller 110. The frequency synthesizer 140 synthesizes a frequency under the control of the controller 110 and applies it to the RF circuit 150. That is, the frequency synthesizer 140 designates a channel of the RF circuit 150 according to the channel data output from the controller 110.

The RF circuit 150 amplifies a weak RF signal from the designated channel received via an antenna, frequency-converts the amplified signal to its original signal band, demodulates the frequency-converted signal, and wave-shapes the demodulated signal into digital data. The decoder 160 decodes the digital coding data (typically, BCH coded data) output from the RF circuit 150 and outputs its own signal. The display 170 composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD), displays various kinds of states occurring during the radio paging service and the received messages under the control of the controller 110 and outputs time data corresponding to the local times of multiple regions of the world. The alarm 180, comprising a circuit for generating alarm sound and a vibrator for generating a vibration signal, generates an alarm signal upon receipt of a message under the control of the controller 110.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for selecting a region, the local time of which is to be displayed in the radio paging receiver, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a description will be given of how a region, the local time of which is to be displayed, is selected in the radio paging receiver. In step 210 of FIG. 2, the controller 110 receives key data corresponding to a key entered by a user from the keypad 130 and checks if the key data is for entering a time display region designating mode. If the key data is not for entering a time display region designating mode, the controller 110 executes in step 220 a control operation for performing a function designated by the key data input from the keypad 130. On the other hand, if the key data is for entering a time display region designating mode, the controller 110 selects in step 230 a region, the local time of which is to be displayed, by using the key data input from the keypad 130.

In step 240, the controller 110 stores time information on the selected region in the memory 120. The radio paging receiver of the present invention can select multiple regions of the world, the local times of which are to be displayed, by repeating the above steps.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for displaying local times of multiple regions of the world in a portable terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Now, referring to Figures 1 and 3, a description will be given of how the local times of multiple regions of the world are displayed in a radio paging receiver. In step 310 of FIG.

3, the controller 110 receives key data corresponding to a key entered by a user from the keypad 130 and checks if the key data is for entering a world time display mode. If the key data is not for entering the world time display mode, the controller 110 executes in step 320 a control operation for performing a function set by the key data input from the keypad 130.

On the other hand, if the key data is for entering the world time display mode, the controller 110 checks in step 330 if regions, the local times of which are to be displayed, have been previously designated (as described above). If not, the controller 110 outputs to the display 170 in step 340 the local time data of a reference region stored in the memory 120.

However if multiple regions, the local times of which are to be displayed, have been previously designated, the controller 110 reads time data on one region of the designated multiple regions from the memory 120 and outputs it to the display 170 in step 350. In step 360, the controller 110 continuously outputs the time data to the display 170 and checks whether a predetermined time has elapsed by using the timer. Here, the predetermined time, e.g., 0.25sec to 0.Ssec, can be adjusted as needed by the user.

If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the controller 110 continuously outputs the time data on the first designated region to the display 170. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the controller 110 reads time data on another one of the designated regions (other than region which is currently displayed) from the memory 120 and outputs it to the display 170 in step 370. The radio paging receiver according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can display the local times of multiple regions of the world by repeating the above steps 360 and 370.

Figures 4A to 4D show an embodiment for displaying the local times of multiple regions of the world in a portable terminal according to the present invention.

Referring to Figures 4A to 4D, the world time display mode according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is set and the regions, the local times of which are to be displayed, are designated as Paris and Seoul/Tokyo. The local time of Paris is displayed as shown in FIG. 4A, and the local time of Seoul and Tokyo is displayed after the lapse of a few minutes, as shown in FIG. 4B. After the lapse of a further few minutes, the local time of Paris is displayed again as shown in FIG. 4C (since the local time of Seoul and Tokyo has already been displayed). After the lapse of a further few minutes, the local time of Seoul and Tokyo is displayed again as shown in FIG. 4D.

As described above, the local times of selected regions are alternately displayed at regular intervals in the multiple world time displaying method according to the present invention.

Furthermore, the local times of selected regions can be displayed by moving the displayed time data to the left of the display window at a regular speed instead of replacing all of the characters on the display window with the new data.

It should be noted that the description given above with reference to the radio paging receiver can also be applied to a portable telephone.

As is apparent from the foregoing, the present invention can easily check the local date and time of multiple regions of the world through the portable terminal. In particular, the world time display method of the present invention is very convenient for businessmen who deal with a limited number of regions of the world to check the local date and time of these specific regions.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for displaying world time in a portable terminal having a display and a memory for storing information on a reference region and information on multiple regions, local times of which are to be displayed, comprising the steps of: storing in the memory the information on the multiple regions designated by a user; and searching the memory for the information on the designated regions and displaying on the display the local times of the designated regions at predetermined intervals.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current time of the reference region is displayed on the display, if the regions, the local times of which it is desired to display, have not been designated.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the local times of the multiple regions are displayed alternately.

4. The method as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the display is a horizontally-scrolling display on which the local times of the multiple regions are displayed.

5. The method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the local times of the multiple regions are displayed together with corresponding geographical names or other suitable labelling.

6. A method for displaying world time in a portable terminal substantially as described herein with reference to any appropriate combination of the accompanying Figures.