Vehicle monitoring system
First Claim
1. A monitoring system having a single display means for displaying successively the values of a plurality of variables to be monitored;
- a plurality of signal channels;
analog to digital conversion means having a single analog input channel common to all of said signal channels;
for each signal channel, individual means for monitoring a respective one of said variables to produce an analog signal having an amplitude characteristic of said variable;
means for adjusting the amplitudes of said analog signals to lie within a range of values common to all of said channels;
sequence timer means;
multiplexer means operable by said sequence timer means to apply said adjusted amplitude analog signals in succession to said common input channel of said analog-digital conversion means for generation of successive digital outputs respectively representing the monitored values of said variables; and
display control means for applying said digital outputs (under control) said sequence timer means without storage to said display means for generating successive displays characteristic of the monitored values of said variables.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Electrical signals representing analog values of variables to be measured are sampled and multiplexed onto a common conductor. When the analog values are generated by transducers having a logarithmic characteristic, the signals are linearized by a log amplifier prior to being multiplexed. The ranges of the analog signals are made similar to facilitate use of a common display. A single analog-to-digital converter generates digital outputs representing the amplitudes of the respective analog samples and the digital outputs control display logic for operating the common display. A sequence timer controls operation of the multiplexer, analog-to-digital converter, display logic, and the display itself. Facility for manual override to display selectively any of the variables is provided, as well as an alarm indicator for generating an audible or visual alarm signal in the event any variable exceeds (or drops below) a predetermined reference level. An electroluminescent seven-segment display and quantised analog displays are described. The system is described with particular reference to an automotive display system for monitoring, e.g. fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and battery voltage.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A monitoring system having a single display means for displaying successively the values of a plurality of variables to be monitored;
- a plurality of signal channels;
analog to digital conversion means having a single analog input channel common to all of said signal channels;
for each signal channel, individual means for monitoring a respective one of said variables to produce an analog signal having an amplitude characteristic of said variable;
means for adjusting the amplitudes of said analog signals to lie within a range of values common to all of said channels;
sequence timer means;
multiplexer means operable by said sequence timer means to apply said adjusted amplitude analog signals in succession to said common input channel of said analog-digital conversion means for generation of successive digital outputs respectively representing the monitored values of said variables; and
display control means for applying said digital outputs (under control) said sequence timer means without storage to said display means for generating successive displays characteristic of the monitored values of said variables. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- a plurality of signal channels;
Specification