In recent years, an electronic device, for example, a dive computer and the like, has come to provide various kinds of information using not only a single display screen but also multiple types of display units. Particularly, not only a liquid crystal display screen but also indicators have come into use to provide various kinds of information (for example, Patent Document 1). Compared to a digital display in which numerals and characters are displayed using a display screen, the analog display using indicators enables intuitive grasp of physical quantity from an image and therefore, enables sure and secure provision of information particularly for an operator during a dive.
Moreover, an electronic device is conventionally known that can be used both on land and underwater by automatically switching between a normal time display mode and a function mode such as a dive mode. For example, an information processing device for divers is disclosed that starts measuring time of a dive when the device submerges deeper than a predetermined water depth (for example, Patent Document 2). Furthermore, an electronic device having a water depth measuring function is disclosed that detects submergence using a water detecting circuit and a water depth measuring circuit, and switches to a dive mode (for example, Patent Document 3).
In these electronic devices, the switching to a function mode such as a dive mode is performed by changing only display contents that are displayed on a digital display screen. Since such a change of display contents displayed on a digital display screen can be instantaneously made, the change to a function mode such as a dive mode with a digital display screen can be done easily.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H7-294673 (FIG. 1)
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-316090 (page 5, FIG. 1)
Patent Document 3: International Application Published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, Publication No. 94/20886 Pamphlet (page 7, FIG. 2)
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds