GB2310736A - Countdown calendar - Google Patents

Abstract

A countdown calendar 10 has two numeric displays, a first 14 indicating the current date, and a second 13 indicating the number of days remaining before the date of an event. The second display automatically counts down in whole numbers of days to the event. Provision can be made for the entry of more than one event date.

Description

CALENDARS This invention relates to calendars, and is particularly concerned with a countdown calendar whose function is to indicate the number of days remaining before the occurrence of an event or events.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a calendar which can be set or programmed with date information and which will then indicate the number of days remaining before the occurrence of the event or events, the calendar also counting down to the event or events as the number of days left reduces.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a calendar device comprising displays indicating the current date and/or time and also the number of days remaining before the date of an event, means to enter the current date, means to enter the date of the said event, and control means arranged after entry of the said two dates to provide in said displays a countdown of the number of days remaining to the event.

In one embodiment, the device includes means for setting a plurality of event dates, and selector means by which the displays can show the days remaining to a selected one of said events.

The calendar device can be used as a promotional item, or as an aide-memoire for adults and children.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, two presently preferred embodiments of calendar device in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of calendar device; and, Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of calendar device.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is shown a calendar device indicated generally at 10. The calendar is shown mounted on a display stand 12. The display stand is provided with two windows 13, 14, through each of which is visible a respective numeric display. These displays can be based on the use of LEDs or can be liquid crystal displays for example.

The back of the stand 12 is fitted with a unit which incorporates the necessary electronics and which has the two display faces which are visible through the windows 13, 14.

The display visible in the lower window 14 is of the current date in day/month/year format. This display can alternatively be of the current time in hours/minutes/seconds format, but this is normally only used for setting purposes.

The display will normally be of the date. The display visible in the upper window 13 is of the number of days remaining before a particular event, such as an exhibition, an anniversary, a birthday etc. In an alternative embodiment, one could display current time in lower window 14, or provide a dual display of current time and current date.

This particular device is intended as a "one date" device which provides a countdown in days to an event such as the opening of an exhibition. It can therefore be used as a promotional item for business use, as well as an aide-memoire.

On the back of the device 10 are two buttons (not shown).

The first button is used to set first the current time, using an internal clock, and then the current date, in the lower display. The second button is used to set the date of the event in question, again in the lower display. When the event date has been entered, the number of days remaining to the event will appear in the upper display and the lower display will revert to the current date. The calculation is carried out by a microprocessor unit and suitable electronic circuitry housed at the back of the display stand. The upper display will automatically update itself by counting down the number of days remaining before the event, using the internal clock.

It is updated internally once every 24 hours, for example at midnight.

When the date of the event is reached, the "days remaining" display will remain at zero and the current date in the lower display will flash and continue to do so.

Although the device is shown mounted on a display stand, it could alternatively be in the form of a flat, slim, cardtype device.

Also, although the device shown in Fig. 1 is a "one date" device, one could alternatively have a calendar device which could cater for say up to eight events using an electromechanical scrolling device. The unit would incorporate an octagonal-section rod with a rotatable button at one end. Each face of the rod represents a different event. As the rod is rotated manually, so an electronic sensor detects which event has been selected. If the unit is first programmed with the for example eight respective dates, then rotation of the rod will cause the upper display to scroll through the number of days remaining to each of these events.

Fig. 2 of the drawings shows a calendar device, indicated generally at 20, having a number of windows and buttons.

Window 22 provides an indication of the current date. This display can alternate with the current time of day. Window 24 displays the event in question, such as a birthday, anniversary, holiday, etc. The wording for these events can be preset or programmed and one can scroll through the alternatives by the use of a "select event" button 26. The calendar device also includes a window 28 in which is displayed the number of days remaining before the event displayed in window 24 occurs. The display in window 28 will automatically update itself by counting down the number of days remaining before the displayed event is to take place.

The calendar device also incorporates a "set" button 30 which is used to set the internal clock, thereby to allow setting of the current time/date and, in conjunction with the select event button 26, the date of events.

The calendar device is set and/or programmed so that as different events are displayed in window 24, the number of days remaining before that event takes place will be displayed in window 28. The number of days remaining will be automatically updated internally once every 24 hours, for example at midnight.

With the approach of the "millenium", a date relevant to that could be entered and a countdown in days shown in the display.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. A calendar device comprising displays, indicating the current date and/or time also the number of days remaining before the date of an event, means to enter the current date, means to enter the date of the said event, and control means arranged after entry of the said two dates to provide in said displays a countdown of the number of days remaining to the event.

2. A calendar device according to claim 1, which has a first display indicating the current date and a second display indicating the number of remaining days, in which when said second display reaches zero the first display flashes the current date.

3. A calendar device according to claim 1 or 2, which includes means for setting a plurality of event dates, and selector means by which the displays can display the days remaining to a selected one of said events.

4. A calendar device according to claim 3, in which the selector means comprises a manually rotatable device linked by a sensor to said control means.

5. A calendar device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.