Variable color digital multimeter

• US 5,283,517 A
• Filed: 04/09/1992
• Issued: 02/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Texas Digital Systems, Inc. (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Karel Havel
• Inventors: Havel, Karel
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen, Ernest F.
• Application Number:
  US07/865,460
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 324/115, 324/96, 324/99 D, 324/120, 324/132, 340/701, 340/702, 340/703, 340/762
• US Class Current: 324/115
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/02 for displaying measured electric variables in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/26 Circuits for controlling the intensity of the electron beam or the colour of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/405 using a plurality of active, i.e. light emitting, e.g. electro-luminescent elements, i.e. bar graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/125 for digital multimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0452 Details of colour pixel setup, e.g. pixel composed of a red, a blue and two green components
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0275 Details of drivers for data electrodes, other than drivers for liquid crystal, plasma or OLED displays, not related to handling digital grey scale data or to communication of data to the pixels by means of a current
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

A measuring device comprises a plurality of signal converters, for measuring a signal by different measuring methods, and a selector, for selectively activating one of the signal converters. A control signal is developed in accordance with the activated signal converter. The measured value of the signal is exhibited in a color which is controlled by the control signal, to indicate the selected measuring method.

Claims

1. A measuring device comprising:

means for measuring a signal and for developing output data indicative of a measured value of the signal, said means for measuring including an RMS converter, for measuring an RMS value of the signal, and a mean average value converter, for measuring a mean average value of the signal;

a first switch having a first position and a second position, for selecting, when said first switch is in its first position, said RMS converter, and for selecting, when said first switch is in its second position, said mean average value converter;

means for selectively exhibiting in a first color and in a second color, said means for exhibiting being responsive to said output data for providing a digital indication of the measured value of the signal, said means for exhibiting having a color control input for controlling color of said digital indication, in accordance with a first color control signal and a second color control signal;

a second switch having a first position and a second position, said second switch being aligned with said first switch, for coupling said first color control signal to said control input when said second switch is in its first position, for illuminating said digital indication in said first color, and for coupling said second color control signal to said color control input when said second switch is in its second position, for illuminating said digital indication in said second color.

2. A measuring device comprising:

means for measuring a signal and for developing output data indicative of a measured value of the signal, said means for measuring including an RMS converter, for measuring an RMS value of the signal, and a mean average value converter, for measuring a mean average value of the signal;

a first switch having a first position and a second position, for selecting, when said first switch is in its first position, said RMS converter, and for selecting, when said first switch is in its second position, said mean average value converter;

a variable color light emitting diode display for selectively exhibiting in a first color and in a second color, said display being responsive to said output data for providing a digital indication of the measured value of the signal, said display having a color control input for controlling color of said digital indication, in accordance with a first color control signal and a second color control signal;

a second switch having a first position and a second position, said second switch being aligned with said first switch, for coupling said first color control signal to said control input when said second switch is in its first position, for illuminating said digital indication in said first color, and for coupling said second color control signal to said color control input when said second switch is in its second position, for illuminating said digital indication in said second color.