Temperature-to-color converter and conversion method
First Claim
1. An instrument for displaying temperature as color, the instrument comprising:
- a plurality of color sources, each color source being capable of engendering color of a different wavelength and variable apparent intensity, said each color source comprising an input capable of receiving a signal controlling color intensity of said each color source;
an electronic device comprising;
an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed, circuitry that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each color source, and generates a plurality of color intensity signals to control intensities of the plurality of color sources, one color intensity signal per said each color source, the color intensity signal of said each color source being controlled by the color intensity value of said each color source, and a plurality of outputs coupling the color intensity signals to the inputs of the color sources, the color intensity signal of said each color source being coupled to the input of said each color source; and
a combiner of the colors engendered by the plurality of color sources.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A color-to-temperature converter senses temperatures of a device, translates the temperatures into light of different colors, and emits or displays the light. The color-to-temperature converter includes a tri-color light emitting diode (LED) assembly with inputs corresponding to red, green, and blue monochromatic LEDs within the assembly. The processor of the converter separately controls the intensity of each monochromatic LED of the assembly, and the outputs of the monochromatic LEDs converge to appear as one color to an observer. In typical operation, the relationship between the temperature input and the converged color imparts to the observer an intuitive understanding of the consequences of the sensed temperatures to operation of the device whose temperatures the converter monitors.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. An instrument for displaying temperature as color, the instrument comprising:
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a plurality of color sources, each color source being capable of engendering color of a different wavelength and variable apparent intensity, said each color source comprising an input capable of receiving a signal controlling color intensity of said each color source;
an electronic device comprising;
an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed, circuitry that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each color source, and generates a plurality of color intensity signals to control intensities of the plurality of color sources, one color intensity signal per said each color source, the color intensity signal of said each color source being controlled by the color intensity value of said each color source, and a plurality of outputs coupling the color intensity signals to the inputs of the color sources, the color intensity signal of said each color source being coupled to the input of said each color source; and
a combiner of the colors engendered by the plurality of color sources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An instrument for displaying temperature as emitted light, the instrument comprising:
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a multicolor LED device comprising;
a plurality of substantially monochromatic LEDs, each substantially monochromatic LED being capable of emitting light of a different wavelength, said each substantially monochromatic LED comprising an input for receiving a signal controlling the light emitted by said each substantially monochromatic LED, and a lens assembly positioned to receive and converge the light emitted by the plurality of substantially monochromatic LEDs; and
an electronic device comprising;
an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed, circuitry that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each substantially monochromatic LED, and generates a plurality of color intensity signals to control intensities of the plurality of substantially monochromatic LEDs, one color intensity signal per said each substantially monochromatic LED, the color intensity signal of said each substantially monochromatic LED being controlled by the color intensity value of said each substantially monochromatic LED, and a plurality of outputs coupling the color intensity signals to the inputs of the substantially monochromatic LEDs, the color intensity signal of said each substantially monochromatic LED being coupled to the input of said each substantially monochromatic LED. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for monitoring temperature, the system comprising:
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a color display capable of displaying a temperature object as a combination of a plurality of basic constituent colors of variable intensities so that the temperature object appears as an object of one color;
an electronic device comprising;
an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature, and a processor that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per basic constituent color; and
a video card coupled to the color display and to the processor to receive the plurality of color intensity values from the processor and cause the color display to output the temperature object as a combination of the plurality of basic constituent colors with each basic constituent color having intensity determined by the color intensity value of said each basic constituent color.
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- 44. The system for monitoring temperature of clam 43, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter that receives analog indications of temperature, and digitizes the analog indications of temperature to convert the analog indications of temperature into the temperature readings.
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54. An instrument for displaying temperature as color, the instrument comprising:
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means for engendering colors of different wavelengths and intensities controlled by a plurality of color intensity signals, one color intensity signal per engendered color;
means for receiving temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed and determining a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each engendered color;
means for generating the plurality of color intensity signals controlled by the plurality of color intensity values; and
means for converging the engendered colors. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. A method of displaying temperature as color, the method comprising:
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obtaining temperature indications;
translating each temperature indication into a plurality of basic constituent colors by computing a plurality of color intensity values, one color intensity value per basic constituent color;
generating the colors of the plurality of basic constituent colors, each generated basic constituent color having intensity determined by the color intensity value of said each basic constituent color; and
converging the generated basic constituent colors. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method of displaying temperature as color, the method comprising:
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step for obtaining temperature indications;
step for translating each temperature indication into a plurality of basic constituent colors by computing a plurality of color intensity values, one color intensity value per basic constituent color;
step for generating the colors of the plurality of basic constituent colors, each generated basic constituent color having intensity determined by the color intensity value of said each generated basic constituent color; and
step for converging the generated basic constituent colors.
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65. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable storage medium with instruction code stored in the medium, said instruction code, when executed by a processor of a system comprising the processor, an output device capable of displaying a plurality of basic constituent colors, and an input that receives indications of temperature, causes the processor to perform the following steps to display the temperature indications as color:
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receiving temperature indications;
translating each temperature indication into a plurality of basic constituent colors by computing a plurality of color intensity values, one color intensity value per basic constituent color; and
causing the output device to generate the colors of the plurality of basic constituent colors, each generated basic constituent color having intensity determined by the color intensity value of said each basic constituent color.
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66. A method of displaying temperature of an automotive audio component as color, the method comprising:
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obtaining temperature indications of the audio component;
translating each temperature indication into a plurality of basic constituent colors by computing a plurality of color intensity values, one color intensity value per basic constituent color;
generating the colors of the plurality of basic constituent colors, each generated basic constituent color having intensity determined by the color intensity value of said each basic constituent color; and
converging the generated basic constituent colors.
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Specification