Arrangement of electrodes for a digital display

Abstract

Arrangement of electrodes for a juxtaposed two digit display including a left digit and a right digit is disclosed. The right digit includes an upper electrode, a median electrode and a lower electrode. The right digit includes a lateral upper left electrode, a lateral lower left electrode, a lateral upper right electrode and a lateral lower right electrode. The left digit includes an upper electrode, a median electrode and a lower electrode. The left digit includes a lateral upper left electrode, a lateral lower left electrode, a lateral upper right electrode and a lateral lower right electrode. In the left digit, the upper electrode, the median electrode and the lower electrode are each formed of a first and second point-shaped electrode. A first additional electrode is provided between the lateral upper left electrode and the lateral upper right electrode of the left digit, the first additional electrode being adjacent to the lateral upper right electrode, and a second additional electrode is provided between the lateral lower left electrode and the lateral lower right electrode, the second additional electrode being adjacent to the lateral lower right electrode.

Claims

1. An arrangement of electrodes for a juxtaposed two digit display, wherein the two digit display comprises a left digit and a right digit, wherein the right digit comprises an upper electrode, a median electrode and a lower electrode, wherein the median electrode extends between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, wherein the right digit also comprises a lateral upper left electrode and a lateral lower left electrode, and a lateral upper right electrode and a lateral lower right electrode, wherein the left digit comprises an upper electrode, a median electrode and a lower electrode, wherein the median electrode extends between the upper electrode and the lower electrode of the left digit, wherein the left digit also comprises a lateral upper left electrode and a lateral lower left electrode, as well as a lateral upper right electrode and a lateral lower right electrode, wherein, in the left digit, the upper electrode, the median electrode and the lower electrode are each formed of a first and second point-shaped electrode, and wherein a first additional electrode is provided between the lateral upper left electrode and the lateral upper right electrode of the left digit, wherein the first additional electrode is adjacent to the lateral upper right electrode of the left digit such that an asymmetrical arrangement of the electrodes is formed by the first additional electrode and the lateral upper right electrode of the left digit, and a second additional electrode is provided between the lateral lower left electrode and the lateral lower right electrode of the left digit, wherein the second additional electrode is adjacent to the lateral lower right electrode of the left digit such that an asymmetrical arrangement of the electrodes is formed by the second additional electrode and the lateral lower right electrode of the left digit, and wherein a portion of the asymmetrically arranged electrodes of the left digit and a portion of the electrodes from the right digit are configured to display a single digit in a center of the two digit display.

2. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second point-shaped electrodes of the left digit upper electrode, of the left digit median electrode and of the left digit lower electrode and the first and second additional electrodes of the left digit are vertically aligned.

3. The electrode arrangement according to claim 2, wherein an additional electrode is provided between the lateral upper left electrode and the lateral upper right electrode of the right digit, at an equal distance from said lateral upper left electrode and lateral upper right electrode of the right digit.

4. The electrode arrangement according to claim 3, wherein three point-shaped electrodes are arranged one above the other between the left digit and the right digit, respectively at the height of the upper electrode, of the median electrode and of the lower electrode of the right digit.

5. The electrode arrangement according to claim 2, wherein three point-shaped electrodes are arranged one above the other between the left digit and the right digit, respectively at the height of the upper electrode, of the median electrode and of the lower electrode of the right digit.

6. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein an additional electrode is provided between the lateral upper left electrode and the lateral upper right electrode of the right digit, at an equal distance from said lateral upper left electrode and lateral upper right electrode of the right digit.

7. The electrode arrangement according to claim 6, wherein three point-shaped electrodes are arranged one above the other between the left digit and the right digit, respectively at the height of the upper electrode, of the median electrode and of the lower electrode of the right digit.

8. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein three point-shaped electrodes are arranged one above the other between the left digit and the right digit, respectively at the height of the upper electrode, of the median electrode and of the lower electrode of the right digit.

9. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein point-shaped electrodes are provided in both the left and right digits, respectively at the intersection between each of the upper electrodes, median electrodes and lower electrodes and each of the lateral upper left electrodes, lateral lower left electrodes, lateral upper right electrodes and lateral lower right electrodes of the two left and right digits.

10. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the upper electrode, median electrode and lower electrode of the left digit and of the right digit extend horizontally and remote from each other.

11. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the lateral upper left electrode and the lateral lower left electrode, and respectively the lateral upper right electrode and the lateral lower right electrode of each of the left and right digits extend vertically in the extension of each other.

12. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein four indicators pointing to the exterior of the left and right digits are respectively associated with the lateral upper left electrode and the lateral lower left electrode of the left digit, and with the lateral upper right electrode and the lateral lower right electrode of the right digit.

13. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a small gap is formed between the first additional electrode and the lateral upper right electrode of the left digit, and a gap, being larger than the small gap, is formed between the lateral upper right electrode of the left digit and the lateral upper left electrode of the right digit.

14. The electrode arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a small gap is formed between the second additional electrode and the lateral lower right electrode of the left digit, and a gap, being larger than the small gap, is formed between the lateral lower right electrode of the left digit and the lateral lower left electrode of the right digit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the arrangement of electrodes according to the invention, this example being given merely by way of non-limiting illustration with reference to the annexed drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a display formed of two juxtaposed groups of seven segments according to the prior art.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a display formed of two juxtaposed groups of segments according to the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows different alphanumerical indications that can be displayed by means of the display in FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the display with indicators in activated states.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(6) The present invention proceeds from the general inventive idea which consists of rethinking the arrangement of electrodes for a display of two juxtaposed digits, making it possible, on the one hand, to display the numbers formed of a single figure from 0 to 9 in a centred manner with respect to the two electrodes groups and, on the other hand, to display the figures in a more realistic and attractive manner. This result is achieved as a result of the fact that the proposed electrode arrangement is asymmetrical, the left digit not being arranged in the same manner as the right digit. In this respect, the present invention goes against common sense, according to which the two digits should have the same structure given that they are both used to display the same numbers. In a simplified embodiment of the invention, only the left digit is substantially modified, the right digit remaining a conventional seven segment digit to which only one additional electrode is added. This facilitates the structuring of the electrodes and makes it possible to leave unchanged the addressing of the electrodes of the right digit.

(7) FIG. 1 illustrates an electrode arrangement of the prior art for a display formed by two juxtaposed groups of electrodes, these two groups of electrodes being commonly called digits. It can be seen that the left digit, designated as a whole by the general reference number 1, and the right digit, designated as a whole by the general reference number 2, are arranged in the same manner. More specifically, each of the left digit 1 and right digit 2, comprises an upper electrode 4a, 4b, a median electrode 6a, 6b and a lower electrode 8a, 8b, the median electrode 6a, 6b extending between the upper electrode 4a, 4b and the lower electrode 8a, 8b. The left and right digits 1, 2 also comprise a lateral upper left electrode 10a, 10b and a lateral lower left electrode 12a, 12b, as well as a lateral upper right electrode 14a, 14b and a lateral lower right electrode 16a, 16b.

(8) The arrangement of electrodes according to the prior art discussed above allows any number between 0 and 99 to be displayed by activating the appropriate combination of electrodes. Such an arrangement is, however, considered by many users to be rather outdated and unattractive. Especially, when only one figure, from 0 to 9, is required to be displayed, only one of the two digits is activated, generally the digit on the right. The display of a single figure is therefore off centre in relation to the group of two digits, which is unsatisfactory, in particular where this display appears through an aperture 18 arranged, for example, in a watch dial for indicating the current date or the like.

(9) To overcome this problem, the present invention teaches a new arrangement of electrodes for a display formed of two juxtaposed groups of electrodes, these two groups of electrodes being commonly called digits. It is noted that only the left digit, designated as a whole by the general reference number 20, is substantially modified in comparison to the prior art, whilst the right digit, designated as a whole by the general reference number 22, retains a structure quite similar to that of a conventional seven segment digit as described above in relation to the prior art.

(10) More specifically, the left digit 20 comprises an upper electrode 24, a median electrode 26 and a lower electrode 28, the median electrode 26 extending between the upper electrode 24 and the lower electrode 28. Preferably, the upper electrode 24, the median electrode 26 and the lower electrode 28 extend horizontally and remote from each other. The left digit 20 also comprises a lateral upper left electrode 30a and a lateral lower left electrode 32a, as well as a lateral upper right electrode 30b and a lateral lower right electrode 32b. Preferably, the lateral upper left electrode 30a and the lateral lower left electrode 32a, and respectively the lateral upper right electrode 30b and the lateral lower right electrode 32b extend vertically in the extension of each other.

(11) According to the invention, in left digit 20, the upper electrode 24, median electrode 26 and lower electrode 28 are each formed by a first and second point-shaped electrode respectively 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b, and 28a, 28b. Moreover, a first additional electrode 34 is provided between lateral upper left electrode 30a and lateral upper right electrode 30b. Advantageously, first additional electrode 34 is adjacent to lateral upper right electrode 30b. Moreover, a second additional electrode 35 is provided between lateral lower left electrode 32a and lateral lower right electrode 32b. Advantageously, the second additional electrode 35 is adjacent to lateral lower right electrode 32b. This electrode arrangement is particularly useful for displaying the letter Y, which is required for the initial setting of the year for a perpetual calendar function.

(12) Also, the right digit 22 comprises an upper electrode 36, a median electrode 38 and a lower electrode 40, the median electrode 38 extending between the upper electrode 36 and the lower electrode 40. Preferably, the upper electrode 36, the median electrode 38 and the lower electrode 40 extend horizontally and remote from each other. The right digit 22 also comprises a lateral upper left electrode 42a and a lateral lower left electrode 44a, as well as a lateral upper right electrode 42b and a lateral lower right electrode 44b. Preferably, the lateral upper left electrode 42a and the lateral lower left electrode 44a, and respectively the lateral upper right electrode 42b and the lateral lower right electrode 44b extend vertically in the extension of each other.

(13) According to a further characteristic of the invention, an additional electrode 46 is provided between the lateral upper left electrode 42a and the lateral upper right electrode 42b of right digit 22, at an equal distance from the two electrodes 42a, 42b. This additional electrode 46 serves in particular for displaying the letter M which is particularly useful for displaying the indications AM and PM when setting an alarm or for the initial setting of the time and date.

(14) It will also be understood that the existence of the additional electrodes 34, 35, off set to the left relative to right digit 22, in combination with the electrodes for right digit 22, makes it possible to display the numbers formed of a single figure 0 to 9 in a centred manner with regard to the group of two digits 20 and 22, which is very useful in the event that this display appears through an aperture 48 arranged, for example, in a watch dial for indicating the date or the like.

(15) According to another characteristic of the invention, three point-shaped electrodes 50a, 50b and 50c are arranged one above the other between left digit 20 and right digit 22, respectively at the height of the upper electrode 36, of the median electrode 38 and of the lower electrode 40 of right digit 22.

(16) According to another characteristic of the invention, point-shaped electrodes designated by the references a to 1 are arranged in both the left and right digits 20, 22, respectively at the intersection between each of the upper electrodes 24, 36, median electrodes 26, 38 and lower electrodes 28, 40 and each of the lateral upper left electrodes 30a, 42a, lateral lower left electrodes 32a, 44a, lateral upper right electrodes 30b, 42b and lateral lower right electrodes 32b, 44b.

(17) Finally, four indicators 52, for example of a triangular shape, provided to the left and right make it possible to point to indications affixed to the dial around the aperture 48, to the exterior of left and right digits 20, 22. These four indicators 52 are respectively adjacent to the lateral upper left electrode 30a and the lateral lower left electrode 32a of left digit 20, and with lateral upper right electrode 42b and lateral lower right electrode 44b of right digit 22. This makes it possible to add a large number of additional functions such as the setting and display of the state of an alarm, indicators 52 pointing for example to ON and OFF markings on the dial. To further improve the legibility of indicators 52, these indicators 52 can be displayed with the corresponding lateral electrode.

(18) In its preferred embodiment, the electrode arrangement according to the invention comprises a total of 39 segments. This is more than two digits of seven segments each, but far less than a matrix display, thus making it possible to continue to use a non-multiplexed addressing technology that offers advantages in terms of display contrast and production costs.

(19) By way of example, the electrodes that must be activated to display the number 4 are shown shaded in FIG. 2.

(20) FIG. 3 shows various alphanumerical indications that can be displayed by means of the display of FIG. 2. Alphabetical indications such as AM, PM, AL, On, OF, Y, M, d are illustrated in the column on the left. The date indications from 1 to 9 are illustrated in the central column, that is to say the date indications comprising a single digit. It is noted that, according to a determining advantage of the invention, these single digit date indications are centred in relation to the group of two digits. Finally, the column on the right illustrates the display of a few two digit date indications.

(21) It goes without saying that this invention is not limited to the embodiment that has just been described and that various simple modifications and variants can be envisaged by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the annexed claims.