ANNULAR BAR GRAPH AND MULTI-SEGMENT DISPLAY

• US 20110148775A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Yao, William, Rudolph, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,570,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/083 on tops, hot plates
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/086 touch control
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96046 Key-pad combined with display, back-lit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch

Abstract

Provided is a display comprising a first plurality of light-emitting elements forming an annular bar graph, and a numerical display within the annular bar graph. The annular bar graph displays information graphically, and the numerical display simultaneously displays the same information numerically.

Claims

1. A display, comprising:

a first plurality of light-emitting elements forming an annular bar graph; and

a numerical display within the annular bar graph, wherein the annular bar graph displays information graphically, and the numerical display simultaneously displays the same information numerically.

2. The display according to claim 1, wherein the numerical display includes a second plurality of light-emitting elements forming a multi-segment display.

3. The display according to claim 2, further comprising a third plurality of light-emitting elements that selectively illuminate text, wherein the text is located within the annular bar graph adjacent to the multi-segment display.

4. A packaged display device, comprising:

a first plurality of light-emitting elements forming an annular bar graph;

a second plurality of light-emitting elements forming a multi-segment display within the annular bar graph; and

a common housing for the first plurality of light-emitting elements and the second plurality of light-emitting elements.

5. The packaged display device according to claim 4, further comprising a third plurality of light-emitting elements that selectively illuminate text, wherein the text is located within the annular bar graph adjacent to the multi-segment display.

6. The packaged display device according to claim 5, wherein the annular bar graph includes a plurality of arcuate segments surrounding the multi-segment display and text.

7. The packaged display device according to claim 4, further comprising a printed circuit board forming a part of the common housing, wherein the printed circuit board is adapted for surface mounting to a substrate.

8. The packaged display device according to claim 7, further comprising a cylindrical portion forming a part of the common housing, wherein the light-emitting elements are located within the cylindrical portion.

9. A user interface, comprising:

a substrate;

an annular touch-sensitive input located on the substrate;

a first plurality of light-emitting elements forming an annular bar graph; and

a numerical display located within both of the annular touch-sensitive input and the annular bar graph.

10. The user interface according to claim 9, wherein the annular bar graph is located concentrically within the annular touch-sensitive input.

11. The user interface according to claim 9, wherein the annular bar graph displays information graphically, and the numerical display simultaneously displays the same information numerically.

12. The user interface according to claim 11, wherein the numerical display includes a second plurality of light-emitting elements forming a multi-segment display.

13. The user interface according to claim 12, wherein the first plurality of light-emitting elements and the second plurality of light-emitting elements are located within a common housing of a packaged display device that is mounted to the substrate,

wherein the annular touch-sensitive input surrounds a through-hole in the substrate, and

wherein the packaged display device is aligned with the through-hole in the substrate such that the annular bar graph is located concentrically within the annular touch-sensitive input.

14. The user interface according to claim 12, wherein based on a rotational input using the annular touch-sensitive input, a corresponding rotational light display is generated by the annular bar graph.

15. The user interface according to claim 14, wherein the rotational light display includes at least one of a circumferentially moving light segment, a circumferentially lengthening light segment, and a circumferentially contracting light segment.

16. The user interface according to claim 15, wherein based on the rotational input using the annular touch-sensitive input, a number displayed by the multi-segment display changes.