Indicator

• US 5,774,098 A
• Filed: 05/17/1993
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Toshiyuki, Tanaka, Minoru, Fujii, Masaru, Honjo, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIN, VIVIAN C
• Application Number:
  US08/061,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1, 345/3, 345/83, 345/82, 345/204, 345/102, 368/67
• US Class Current: 345/83
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/00 Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

An indicator lamp unit comprises a number of light-emitting elements, such as LEDs, arranged on the circumference of a disk or arranged in rows on the circumference of a cylinder, and a milk-white lamp case covering the light-emitting elements. A display terminal comprises, in an integral unit, a display, such as a LCD or an ELD, and said indicator lamp unit. The display and an internal CPU are controlled by an external CPU.

Claims

1. An indicator comprising:

an indicator lamp having a lamp case which is light-transmissive to light emitted by at least one light-emitting element on one side of the lamp case, said lamp case being made from a material through which a light indication of said at least one light-emitting element is easily visible without being impaired by the reflection of ambient light from a surface on another side of the lamp case;

a signal lamp comprising said at least one light-emitting element located within said lamp case; and

a display unit mutually integrated with said signal lamp for displaying information related to light emitted by said signal lamp.

2. An indicator according to claim 1, wherein said lamp case which covers said signal lamp is a milk-white color when the at least one light-emitting element is not emitting light, and transmits said light emitted by said at least one light-emitting element.

3. An indicator according to claim 2, wherein said signal lamp comprises a plurality of colored light-emitting elements for emitting light of various colors, said lamp case being transmissive to each of said various colors.

7. An indicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lamp case is substantially cylindrical, and said indicator lamp comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged on a circumference of a disk located within said cylindrical lamp case.

8. An indicator according to claim 7, wherein said lamp case which covers said signal lamp is a milk-white color when said plurality of light-emitting elements are not emitting light, and transmits said light emitted by said plurality of said light-emitting elements.

9. An indicator according to claim 7 wherein said plurality of light-emitting elements are LEDs capable of emitting light of different wavelengths to light said lamp case selectively in various colors.

10. An indicator according to claim 8 wherein said plurality of light-emitting elements are LEDs capable of emitting light of different wavelengths to light said lamp case selectively in various colors.

11. An indicator according to claim 1 further including a signal lamp control circuit included in the signal lamp and including a bias voltage source and a light-emitting element controller to control an on/off state of said at least one light-emitting element.

12. An indicator according to claim 11 wherein said signal lamp includes a plurality of light-emitting elements of at least a first color and a said second color, wherein said signal lamp control circuit controls an on/off state of said light-emitting elements individually or in combination.

4. An indicator comprising:

a lamp case having a main body which is light-transmissive to light emitted from within said body, said main body being made from a material through which said light emitted from within said body is easily visible without being impaired by the reflection of ambient light from a surface on another side of said main body;

a signal lamp within said main body;

a display unit provided in said main body and integrated with said signal lamp;

a first control means provided in said main body, for controlling a display of said signal lamp and said display unit; and

a second control means, for controlling said first control means, installed separately from said main body.

13. An indicator according to claim 4, wherein said lamp case which covers said signal lamp is a milk-white color when at least one light-emitting element is not emitting light, and transmits said light emitted by said at least one light-emitting element.

14. An indicator according to claim 13, wherein said signal lamp comprises a plurality of colored light-emitting elements for emitting light of various colors, said lamp case being transmissive to each of said various colors.

5. An indicator comprising:

a lamp case having a main body which is light-transmissive to light emitted from within said body, said main body being made from a material through which said light emitted from within said body is easily visible without being impaired by the reflection of ambient light from a surface on another side of said main body;

a signal lamp provided in said main body;

a display unit provided in said main body and integrated with said signal lamp;

a first control device, for controlling said display unit and said signal lamp; and

a second control device installed separately from said main display unit for controlling said first control device.

15. An indicator according to claim 5, wherein said lamp case which covers said signal lamp is a milk-white color when at least one light-emitting element is not emitting light, and transmits said light emitted by said at least one light-emitting element.

16. An indicator according to claim 15, wherein said signal lamp comprises a plurality of colored light-emitting elements for emitting light of various colors, said lamp case being transmissive to each of said various colors.

6. An indicator comprising:

a lamp case having a main body which is light transmissive to light emitted from within said main body, said main body being made from a material through which said light emitted from within said body is easily visible without being impaired by the reflection of ambient light from a surface on another side of said main body;

a display unit provided in said main body;

a signal lamp provided in said main body and integrated with said display unit; and

a processing means for controlling said display unit and said signal lamp, said processing means being installed separately from said main body.

17. An indicator according to claim 6, wherein said lamp case which covers said signal lamp is a milk-white color when at least one light-emitting element is not emitting light, and transmits said light emitted by said at least one light-emitting element.

18. An indicator according to claim 17, wherein said signal lamp comprises a plurality of colored light-emitting elements for emitting light of various colors, said lamp case being transmissive to each of said various colors.