Compass display for a vehicle
First Claim
1. A compass display for displaying a heading direction, the compass display capable of communicating with a compass system, the compass display comprising:
- a first surface having a set of compass referents corresponding to geographical directions; and
a plurality of light sources located with respect to the first surface, a light source of the plurality of light sources corresponds to a respective referent of the set of compass referents of the compass display and wherein a directional signal generated by the compass system communicates with at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to display the heading direction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A compass display or a low cost construction includes a display coupled to compass sensing and calibration devices to illuminate a portion of the display to indicate a specific heading. The display is mounted beneath a finish covering surface and includes indicia representing compass directional headings attached or printed thereon and the finish covering is supported by a substrate having a plurality of openings spaced relative to a center point and a plurality of light sources such as LED lights located in the holes of the substrate to be located behind the finish covering and aligned with the directional headings. When a light is illuminated, it is visible behind the finish covering to a driver or other occupant of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, twelve openings and associated light sources are provided in the substrate and spaced at 30-degree increments to provide a more precise indication of the vehicle heading. The compass display may be located on the instrument panel, in the headliner, on the A-pillar, on a visor or in any other advantageous location within the passenger compartment. For a movable object like the visor location, a switch is provided to disconnect a power source for the compass display when the visor is moved from its stowed, operating position.
39 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A compass display for displaying a heading direction, the compass display capable of communicating with a compass system, the compass display comprising:
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a first surface having a set of compass referents corresponding to geographical directions; and
a plurality of light sources located with respect to the first surface, a light source of the plurality of light sources corresponds to a respective referent of the set of compass referents of the compass display and wherein a directional signal generated by the compass system communicates with at least one light source of the plurality of light sources to display the heading direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A compass display for use in a visor in a vehicle, the compass display for displaying a heading direction of the vehicle, the compass display having a center point and being capable of communicating with a compass system, the compass system generating a directional signal corresponding to the heading direction of the vehicle, the compass display comprising:
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a first surface having a first side and a second side, the first surface located on the visor to be viewed by an occupant of the vehicle when the visor is in a stowed position, the first surface having a set of compass referents corresponding to geographical directions; and
a light source located with respect on the second side of the first surface and arranged to correspond to a first respective referent of the set of compass referents and wherein the directional signal generated by the compass system communicates with the light source to energize the light source to display the heading direction of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A visor for use in a vehicle, comprising
a compass display for displaying a heading direction of the vehicle, the compass display including a set of compass referents, the compass display capable of communicating with a compass system generating a directional signal corresponding to the heading direction of the vehicle; -
a first surface having a first side and a second side, the first surface located in the vehicle to be viewed by an occupant of the vehicle when the visor is in a stowed position, the first surface having a set of compass referents corresponding to geographical directions; and
a light source located with respect on the second side of the first surface and arranged to correspond to a first respective referent of the set of compass referents and wherein the directional signal generated by the compass system communicates with the light source to energize the light source to display the heading direction of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification