Electronic display device for use in motor cars

• US 4,293,842 A
• Filed: 07/25/1979
• Issued: 10/06/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jeco Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jeco Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Naito, Hideki, Tanaka, Toyonaru
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAFTON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/060,474
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52 R, 340/52 F, 340/706, 58/50 R, 58/152 R, 368/6, 368/10
• US Class Current: 340/462
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/10 for dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/404 for discontinuous display, i.e. display of discrete values analogue/digital conversion H03M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0064 in which functions not related to time can be displayed digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14

Abstract

An electronic display device for use in a motor car wherein the contents of the display are determined by the respective positions of a manually operated switch and the ignition switch is disclosed. A control circuit detects the respective positions of the two switches and thereby determines the data to be displayed.

Claims

1. An electronic display device for use in a motor car, comprising manually operated switch means for changing contents displayed by said display device, and a control circuit actuated by a signal generated by an engine key switch of said motor car, said control circuit including means responsive to the operation of said manually operated switch means for switching over the contents displayed by said display device.

2. An electronic display device according to claim 1 wherein said display device comprises a luminous display element, and said control circuit comprises means to cause said luminous display element to operate or not to operate and means to cause said luminous display element to selectively display either one of times, dates, months, a calendar, voltage of a battery on said car.

3. The electronic display device according to claim 1 wherein said manually operated switch means includes means for selecting operative and inoperative modes and performances of said display device.

4. An electronic device for use in a motor car comprising:

a digital display device which becomes operative in response to a signal produced by closure of an accessory contact or an ignition contact of an engine key switch;

manually operated switch means responsive to the closure of the accessory contact or ignition contact of said engine key switch for producing a display change signal, said manually operated switch means including means for producing an operating signal of said digital display device when the accessory contact or ignition contact of said engine key switch is opened;

integrated circuit means responsive to said display change signal for changing mode of operation of said display device; and

a set enabling circuit responsive to the closure of the accessory contact or ignition contact of said engine key switch for changing the mode of operation of said display device;

5. An electronic device for use in a motor car comprising:

display means;

a plurality of means for determining items to be displayed by said display means;

display selection means connected between said plurality of item determining means and said display means;

means responsive to operation of an engine key switch or an ignition switch of said motor car for operating said display selection means to selectively interconnect said item determining means and said display means; and

means responsive to a switching operation of said engine key switch or said ignition switch for modifying the operating of said item determining means.

6. An electronic timepiece for use in a motor car comprising:

fluorescent display means;

a clock circuit for generating signals for causing said fluorescent display means to display time, date, month, etc.;

means for applying a control signal representing an operating condition of said motor car;

a first monostable multivibrator for generating an output for a relatively long interval;

a second monostable multivibrator for generating an output for a relatively short interval;

a pair of flip-flop circuits responsive to the output of said second monostable multivibrator;

switch means for selectively applying different signals to said first monostable multivibrator and said pair of flip-flop circuits;

means responsive to said control signal and the output of said first monostable multivibrator and to the outputs of said pair of flip-flop circuits for rendering inoperative said display means; and

means responsive to operation of said switch means for rendering operative said display means.