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US5583833A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for setting a clock in a computer system

Assignee: Apple Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-06
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Granted: 1996-12-10
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Expires: 2015-06-06
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Abstract

Abstract A method for resetting a real-time clock of a pen-based computer system characterized by the steps of: displaying an image of an analog clock face with an hour hand and a minute hand on the screen of a pen-based computer system; determining whether a clock-setting stroke has been made with a stylus upon the image of the analog clock face; resetting the real-time clock to correspond to the clock-setting stroke; and moving at least one of the hour hand and the minute hand in response to the clock-setting stroke. An apparatus for resetting a real-time clock of a pen-based computer system is characterized by: a digital processor; a real-time clock coupled to the digital processor; a screen assembly coupled to the digital processor; a display mechanism for displaying an image of an analog clock on the screen assembly; a detection mechanism for detecting a clock-resetting stroke on the image of the analog clock by a stylus; and a resetting mechanism for resetting the real-time clock in response to the clock-resetting stroke.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stephen P. Capps
  • 👤 Martin R. Gannholm

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 12:02
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04847; G04; G04G; G04G21/00; G04G5/00; G06F1/00; G06F1/04; G06F1/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 279 words
A method for setting a real-time clock in a pen-based computer system comprising: displaying an image of an analog clock face on the screen of a pen-based computer system, said analog clock face having an origin at a center location thereof, with an image of an hour hand corresponding to the current hour in a real-time clock of said pen-based computer system, said hour hand extending radially outwardly from said origin, and an image of a minute hand corresponding to the current minute in said real-time time clock, said minute hand extending radially outwardly from said origin, said images of an hour hand and a minute hand having different lengths; making a clock-setting stroke with a stylus means upon said image of an analog clock face, said clock-setting stroke having a first end point and second end point; comparing a characteristic of said hour hand and a characteristic of said minute hand to a characteristic of said clock-setting stroke, or the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke and the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke, to determine which of said hour hand and said minute hand to move in response to said clock-setting stroke; moving either said hour hand or said minute hand in response to said clock-setting stroke, as determined by said comparing of said hour hand and said minute hand to said clock-setting stroke, to a position indicated by either of said first endpoint and said second endpoint of said clock-setting stroke to produce thereby an updated indication of the current hour and minute; and, updating said real-time clock to correspond to said updated indication of the current hour and minute.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 279 words
A method for setting a real-time clock in a pen-based computer system comprising: displaying an image of an analog clock face on the screen of a pen-based computer system, said analog clock face having an origin at a center location thereof, with an image of an hour hand corresponding to the current hour in a real-time clock of said pen-based computer system, said hour hand extending radially outwardly from said origin, and an image of a minute hand corresponding to the current minute in said real-time time clock, said minute hand extending radially outwardly from said origin, said images of an hour hand and a minute hand having different lengths; making a clock-setting stroke with a stylus means upon said image of an analog clock face, said clock-setting stroke having a first end point and second end point; comparing a characteristic of said hour hand and a characteristic of said minute hand to a characteristic of said clock-setting stroke, or the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke and the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke, to determine which of said hour hand and said minute hand to move in response to said clock-setting stroke; moving either said hour hand or said minute hand in response to said clock-setting stroke, as determined by said comparing of said hour hand and said minute hand to said clock-setting stroke, to a position indicated by either of said first endpoint and said second endpoint of said clock-setting stroke to produce thereby an updated indication of the current hour and minute; and, updating said real-time clock to correspond to said updated indication of the current hour and minute.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said clock-setting stroke extends radially outwardly from said origin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 136 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of comparing comprises determining whether the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke is smaller than the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke or whether the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke is greater than or equal to said clock setting stroke; and said step of moving comprises moving said hour hand in response to a determination that the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke is smaller than the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke, and moving said minute hand in response to a determination that the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke is greater than or equal to the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 106 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of comparing comprises determining which of said hour hand or said minute hand is closer in length to the length of said clock-setting stroke; and said step of moving said hour hand or said minute hand comprises moving said hour hand in response to said clock-setting stroke when it is determined that said hour hand is closer in length to the length of said clock-setting stroke, and moving said minute hand in response to said clock-setting stroke when it is determined that said minute hand is closer in length to the length of said clock-setting stroke.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said clock-setting stroke is formed from at least two pixels.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-12-10 2000-06-10 2000-12-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-12-10 2004-06-10 2004-12-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-12-10 2008-06-10 2008-12-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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