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Multiple message selective telltale display

  • US 5,510,776 A
  • Filed: 10/25/1993
  • Issued: 04/23/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In an instrument panel having a display area sufficient to display only one telltale message at a time, apparatus for selectively showing any one of a plurality of telltale messages on the display area comprising:

  • a plurality of optical projectors each for projecting a message onto the display area;

    each optical projector comprising a message image transparency, a lamp for illuminating the transparency, and optics for projecting a message onto the display area, each lamp being assigned a priority with respect each other lamp;

    control means for prompting message display, wherein more than one message at a time may be prompted, the control means being coupled to each lamp to selectively apply energizing voltage to each lamp in accordance with messages being prompted; and

    a logic circuit coupled to the lamps and responsive to the control means for selectively energizing the lamps for displaying prompted messages one at a time, wherein the logic circuit includes at least one diode connected in series with a first lamp for preventing current low through the first lamp when energizing voltage is simultaneously applied to the first lamp and to a second lamp, and the assigned priority of the first lamp is less than or equal to the assigned priority of the second lamp.

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