Display device and method for displaying a timeline of at least two successive events and/or activities to be carried out

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1-1f) for displaying a timeline of at least two successive events and/or activities to be carried out, said device having a main body (2-2e) with at least two display fields (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f) and a movable indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f).The movable indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) is expediently designed to point to one of the display fields in order to indicate the event and/or the activity to be carried out. Advantageously, a user who is cognitively impaired is provided by the device according to the invention with an easily understandable time schedule independent of a time of day.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for displaying a timeline of at least two successive events and/or activities to be carried out, in which a movable indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) points to one of at least two display fields (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f).

Claims

1. A device (1-1f) for displaying a timeline of at least two successive events and/or activities to be carried out, said device having a main body (2-2f) with at least two display fields (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f) and a movable indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) characterized in that the movable indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) is designed to point to one of the display fields in order to indicate the event and/or the activity to be carried out.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the display fields (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f) are variable in size.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that in that the indicator is rod-shaped, preferably in the form of a pointer (8-8f).

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a movement speed of the indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) is settable.

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a signal means (15) is provided, said signal means signalizing a transition of the indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) from one display field to an adjacent display field.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a separating line (9-9f) which separates adjacent display fields (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f) from one another is parallel to the movable indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) at a transition of the indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) from one display field to an adjacent display field.

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body (2-2f) has a visible side (3-3f) with visible side sections which are formed by the at least two display fields (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f).

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body (2-2f) has a visible side (3-3f) which is formed by a matrix display (3-3f).

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the matrix display (3-3c) is disc-shaped, in particular perforated disc-shaped, and preferably has a passage opening through which the indicator (8-8c) can pass through.

10. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the movable indicator (14; 14e; 14f) is designed as an electronic pointer which is displayed on the matrix display (3-3f).

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a display screen (17) is provided, said display screen is arranged at a distance from the display fields (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f), preferably below.

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (1-1f) is designed in manner of a grandfather clock, pocket watch, wall clock or wristwatch.

13. A method for displaying a timeline of at least two successive events and/or activities to be carried out, in which method a movable indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14f) points to one of at least two display fields (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f), characterized in that each display field is assigned to a specific time period in which the event takes place and/or within which an activity carried out is to be completed.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that in the event of a transition of the indicator (8-8c; 14; 14e; 14) from one display field (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f) to an adjacent display field (4, 5, 6-4f, 5f, 6f), a visual, acoustic and/or haptic signal (15) is output, which signals a new event or another activity to be carried out to a user.

15. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the event and/or the activity to be carried out is displayed visually, in particular as a symbol or a pictogram (10-13; 10e-13f), in at least one of the display fields (4, 5, 6-4fe, 5f, 6f).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Embodiments of the invention are to be explained in more detail below on the basis of examples with reference to the non-limiting figures. It is shown:

[0045] FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a device according to the invention,

[0046] FIG. 2 another embodiment of a device according to the invention,

[0047] FIG. 3 of a third embodiment of a device according to the invention,

[0048] FIG. 4 a further embodiment of a device according to the invention,

[0049] FIG. 5 a fifth embodiment of a device according to the invention,

[0050] FIG. 6 a further embodiment of a device according to the invention,

[0051] FIG. 7 a particular embodiment of a device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0052] A device 1 shown in a top view in FIG. 1 is provided for planning a daily schedule of a person living with autism and comprises a round main body 2 which includes a plurality of adjacent display fields 4, 5, 6 forming circular sectors on a viewing side 3. Each of the display fields 4, 5, 6 is provided in color, with adjacent display fields 4, 5, 6 having different colors shown as hatched in FIG. 1. All display fields 4-6 are of different sizes, i.e. they have different surface areas.

[0053] An indicator which indicates an event and/or an activity to be carried out comprises a mechanical pointer 8 which is rotatable in the direction of an arrow 7 and which is rotatable by a drive not shown in FIG. 1, the drive being designed in such a way that in this embodiment a complete rotation of the pointer by 360 degrees corresponds to a whole day, i.e. 24 hours.

[0054] Each of the display fields 4-6 represents a time period that begins with the movement of the pointer 8 into the display field 4-6 and ends with the movement out of it into an adjacent display field 4-6. Throughout the period, an activity defined by the color of the display field 4-6 is to be carried out and/or an event defined by the color of the display field 4-6 occurs during the period. The pointer 8 indicates to a person using the device 1 what is to be done at what time. It is not necessary to resort to a clock known from prior art.

[0055] Adjacent display fields 4-6 are separated from each other by a separating line 9. The separating line 9 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pointer when it passes from one display field 4-6 to an adjacent display field 4-6.

[0056] In this embodiment, the pointer 8 points to a red indicator field 5, which represents the working day, while a green indicator field 6 represents night rest.

[0057] Reference is now made to FIG. 2, where identical or equal-acting parts are designated with the same reference number as in FIG. 1, and the letter a is added to the respective reference number.

[0058] A device 1a shown in a top view in FIG. 2 differs from that shown in FIG. 1 in that an exchangeable pictogram 10-13 is reusably applied to some of the display fields 4a-6a in addition to the color design.

[0059] Advantageously, a use is particularly intuitive.

[0060] For example, a pictogram 10 indicates that night rest is scheduled, while a pictogram 11 indicates a work period, a pictogram 12 indicates a social contact period, and a pictogram 13 indicates a period for leisure activities such as listening to music.

[0061] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, where identical or equal-acting parts are designated by the same reference number as in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the letter b is added to the respective reference number.

[0062] A device 1b shown in a top view in FIG. 3 differs from those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that a main body 2b is triangular in shape and has display panels 4b-6b that are triangular or square in shape.

[0063] It is conceivable that the main body 2b has a different shape, for example square, pentagonal, hexagonal or octagonal.

[0064] Reference is now made to FIG. 4, where identical or equal-acting parts are designated by the same reference number as in FIGS. 1 to 3, and the letter c is added to the respective reference number.

[0065] A device 1c shown in a top view in FIG. 4 differs from those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 in that a main body 2c is designed as a screen support for an LCD screen 3c, said screen support contributes to the design of the device 1d and is applied to a viewing side. Display panels 4c-6c form viewing surface sections of the LCD screen 3c.

[0066] A content to be displayed on the screen 3c is controllable by a control unit not shown in FIG. 4. The control unit is remotely programmable by a computer program executing, for example, as an application program (app) on a cell phone or tablet computer. A user of the device 1c can select a size, a color, and, if necessary, a pictogram in the computer program, thereby designing the content to be displayed on the LCD screen 3c and then transmitting it to the control unit for display on the LCD screen 3c, for example wirelessly via Bluetooth or WLAN. A speed at which a mechanical pointer 8c is moved is also settable.

[0067] In addition, it is possible to specify which period of time corresponds to a complete rotation of a pointer 8c by 360 degrees.

[0068] Conceivably, a single computer program can manage multiple devices 1c, each of which can be individualized.

[0069] The main body 26c is further designed in the shape of a perforated disk and has a through hole, not shown in FIG. 4, through which a connecting portion of the mechanical pointer 8c, which connects the pointer 8c to a drive not shown, is passed.

[0070] Reference is now made to FIG. 5, where identical or equal-acting parts are designated by the same reference number as in FIGS. 1 to 4, and the letter d is added to the respective reference number.

[0071] A device 1d shown in FIG. 5 in a top view differs from those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 in that a main body 2d is designed as a screen support for an LCD screen 3d, said screen support contributes to the design of the device 1d and is applied to a visible side, and from FIG. 4 in that an electronic pointer 14 is provided that is generated by controlling the LCD screen 3a. Advantageously, no mechanical components are required, and customization of the device 1d to meet needs of a user is possible by using a computer program or an app executed on a cell phone.

[0072] Reference is now made to FIG. 6, where identical or equal-acting parts are designated by the same reference number as in FIGS. 1 to 5, and the letter e is added to the respective reference number.

[0073] A device 1e shown in FIG. 6 in a top view differs from those shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 in that during a transition from one display field 4e-6e to an adjacent display field 4e-6e three lights 15 are provided as optical signaling means, which lights are arranged along a separating line 9e and which light up three times during the transition of a pointer 14e from one display field 4e-6e to the adjacent display field 4e-6e. This signals to a user of the device le that a new event and/or a new activity to be carried out is scheduled.

[0074] It is understood that other signaling means are conceivable, for example a vibration of the device or of the main body 2e or an acoustic signal.

[0075] Reference is now made to FIG. 7, where identical or equal-acting parts are designated with the same reference number as in FIGS. 1 to 6, and the letter f is added to the respective reference number.

[0076] A device 1f shown in FIG. 7 in a top view differs from those shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 in that a main body has a lower portion 16 to which a separate display screen 17 is attached, said separate display screen is provided for displaying special, supplementary messages 18 concerning the events or activities to be carried out. These messages may be, for example, text messages.

[0077] It is conceivable that the device 1-1f is designed in the manner of a grandfather clock, pocket watch, wall clock or wristwatch.

[0078] It is understood that all combinations of the features shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 are conceivable. For example, a device 1b shown in FIG. 3 may have an LCD screen 3c as shown in FIG. 4, which is mounted on a main body 2c designed as a screen support.