Display device with variable color background area

• US 5,963,185 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Texas Digital Systems, Inc. (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Texas Digital Systems, Inc. (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Havel, Karel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FATAHI YAR, MAHMOUD
• Application Number:
  US08/721,719
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 345/34, 345/35, 345/39, 345/44, 345/82, 345/83, 345/114
• US Class Current: 345/83
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/02 for displaying measured electric variables in digital form
• 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: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/04 for presentation of a single character by selection from a plurality of characters, or by composing the character by combination of individual elements, e.g. segments using a combination of such display devices for composing words, rows or the like, in a frame with fixed character positions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/04 using circuits for interfacing with colour displays

Abstract

A display device includes a display area, for exhibiting a display unit, substantially surrounded by a variable color background area, which includes a color control input for uniformly controlling its color. The variable color background area includes a plurality of multi-color light emitting diodes arranged in a pattern, which are coupled to the color control input for being illuminated in a selective uniform color in accordance with a color control signal.

Claims

1. A multicolor display device comprising:

a light emitting diode display area;

means for selectively illuminating said display area;

a background area substantially surrounding said display area, said background area including a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in groups, each said group including a first light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a first color, a second light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a second color, a third light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a third color, and means for combining said light signals in said group to obtain a light signal of a composite color, each of said first, second, and third light emitting diodes having a first electrode and a second electrode, all said first electrodes being of the same polarity and opposite the polarity of all said second electrodes;

said first electrodes of all said first light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a first common path;

said first electrodes of all said second light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a second common path;

said first electrodes of all said third light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a third common path;

said second electrodes of all said first light emitting diodes, all said second light emitting diodes, and all said third light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a return common path;

a first biasing device disposed between said first common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said first light emitting diodes when said first biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said first light emitting diodes when said first biasing device is not activated;

a second biasing device disposed between said second common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said second light emitting diodes when said second biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said second light emitting diodes when said second biasing device is not activated;

a third biasing device disposed between said third common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said third light emitting diodes when said third biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said third light emitting diodes when said third biasing device is not activated;

a background color control for simultaneously activating said first biasing device, said second biasing device, and said third biasing device in selective combinations, for illuminating said background area in a selective composite color.

2. Multicolor display device comprising:

a light emitting diode display area;

means for selectively illuminating said display area;

a background area substantially surrounding said display area, said background area including a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in groups, each said group including a first light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a first color, a second light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a second color, a third light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a third color, and means for combining said light signals in said group to obtain a light signal of a composite color, each of said first, second, and third light emitting diodes having a first electrode and a second electrode, all said first electrodes being of the same polarity and opposite the polarity of all said second electrodes;

said first electrodes of all said first light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a first common path;

said first electrodes of all said second light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a second common path;

said first electrodes of all said third light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a third common path;

said second electrodes of all said first light emitting diodes, all said second light emitting diodes, and all said third light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a return common path;

a first biasing device disposed between said first common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said first light emitting diodes when said first biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said first light emitting diodes when said first biasing device is not activated;

a second biasing device disposed between said second common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said second light emitting diodes when said second biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said second light emitting diodes when said second biasing device is not activated;

a third biasing device disposed between said third common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said third light emitting diodes when said third biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said third light emitting diodes when said third biasing device is not activated;

a background color control including a first control input for receiving an active input signal and an inactive input signal, a second control input for receiving an active input signal and an inactive input signal, and a third control input for receiving an active input signal and an inactive input signal, said background color control further including a first control output, associated with said first control input, a second control output, associated with said second control input, and a third control output, associated with said third control input, said first control output being coupled for activating said first biasing device in response to the active input signal at said first control input, said second control output being coupled for activating said second biasing device in response to the active input signal at said second control input, and said third control output being coupled for activating said third biasing device in response to the active input signal at said third control input;

wherein said input signals are simultaneously presented to said first control input, to said second control input, and to said third control input such that at least two of said input signals are active, for causing said background area to illuminate in a selective composite color.

3. In a multicolor display device, which includes a light emitting diode display area substantially surrounded by a variable color light emitting diode background area, the combination comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned in said background area and arranged in groups, each said group including a first light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a first color, a second light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a second color, a third light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a third color, and means for combining said light signals in said group to obtain a light signal of a composite color, each said light emitting diode having a first electrode of a predetermined polarity and a second electrode of an opposite polarity;

said first electrodes of all said first light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a first common path;

said first electrodes of all said second light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a second common path;

said first electrodes of all said third light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a third common path;

said second electrodes of all said first light emitting diodes, all said second light emitting diodes, and all said third light emitting diodes being commonly coupled to a return common path;

a first biasing device disposed between said first common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said first light emitting diodes when said first biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said first light emitting diodes when said first biasing device is not activated;

a second biasing device disposed between said second common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said second light emitting diodes when said second biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said second light emitting diodes when said second biasing device is not activated;

a third biasing device disposed between said third common path and said return common path, for forwardly biasing all said third light emitting diodes when said third biasing device is activated, and for not forwardly biasing said third light emitting diodes when said third biasing device is not activated;

a background color control including a first control input for receiving an active input signal and an inactive input signal, a second control input for receiving an active input signal and an inactive input signal, and a third control input for receiving an active input signal and an inactive input signal, said background color control further including a first control output, associated with said first control input, a second control output, associated with said second control input, and a third control output, associated with said third control input, said first control output being coupled for activating said first biasing device in response to the active input signal at said first control input, said second control output being coupled for activating said second biasing device in response to the active input signal at said second control input, and said third control output being coupled for activating said third biasing device in response to the active input signal at said third control input;

wherein said input signals are simultaneously presented to said first control input, to said second control input, and to said third control input such that at least two of said input signals are active, for causing said background area to illuminate in a selective composite color.