Operation state display apparatus for shuttle switch and displaying method thereof

• US 5,710,544 A
• Filed: 11/30/1995
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Seog Gweon
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Application Number:
  US08/565,549
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/159, 345/164, 348/734, 340/825.36, 340/825.17, 340/825.25, 340/825.22
• US Class Current: 340/3.9
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/025 Light-emitting indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2019/006 being rotation direction sensitive, e.g. the generated pulse or code depends on the direction of rotation of the operating part

Abstract

An improved operation state display apparatus and a displaying method thereof capable of displaying an operation state of an electric appliance with a shuttle switch and providing a more fashionable product by providing an improved display unit, which includes a shuttle switch for producing a certain code signal in accordance with its turn in leftward direction or rightward directions; a microprocessor for recognizing a code signal outputted from the shuttle switch, for outputting a control signal corresponding to the thusly recognized code signal, and for controlling a control object; and a display unit enabled by a control signal outputted from the microprocessor for displaying an operation state of the control object in accordance with an operation of the shuttle switch.

Claims

1. An operation state display apparatus for a shuttle switch, comprising:

a shuttle switch for producing predetermined code signals in accordance with the turning of the shuttle switch in leftward and rightward directions;

a microprocessor for recognizing the predetermined code signals outputted from said shuttle switch, for outputting a control signal corresponding to the recognized code signals, and for controlling a control object; and

display means responsive to the control signal outputted from said microprocessor for displaying an operational state of said control object in accordance with an operational state of the shuttle switch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display means includes:

a plurality of transistors turned on/off in accordance with a control signal outputted from the microprocessor; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes connected to said plurality of transistors and turned on/off in accordance with an operation of the transistors.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are disposed at a periphery of the body of the shuttle switch in order and turned on/off in order in a normal direction or in a reverse direction once or a predetermined times.

4. An operation state displaying method for a shuttle switch, comprising the steps of:

a first step which a microprocessor recognizes a code signal outputted from a shuttle switch;

a second step which said microprocessor judges a predetermined mode corresponding to the thusly recognized code signal;

a third step which the microprocessor controls a control object and outputs said control signal to display means in accordance with a corresponding mode; and

a fourth step which a plurality of light emitting diodes of said display means is turned on in order in a normal direction or in a reverse direction in accordance with a control signal outputted from the microprocessor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said control signal is a plurality of signals outputted for a predetermined time.