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Compact, low-cost semiconductor device for receiving arbitrary input parameters and driving selected display devices, and methods

  • US 6,202,039 B1
  • Filed: 11/04/1997
  • Issued: 03/13/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for physical measurement and display of a parameter, comprising:

  • (a) a programmable semiconductor element;

    (b) said programmable semiconductor element having means to accept an input signal representative of a value of said parameter, said input signal having arbitrary shape and amplitude;

    (c) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide an output signal to cause a display to display said value of said parameter in an arbitrary shape;

    (d) said programmable semiconductor element having means to operate a mating transducer in at least one power conserving mode;

    (e) said programmable semiconductor element having means to treat said input signal in one of a normal ascending mode and an inverted descending mode;

    (f) said programmable semiconductor element having means to operate in one of an absolute and a ratio mode;

    (g) said programmable semiconductor element having means to operate in a selected degree of damping or slew rate control;

    (h) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide at least one over and/or under warning output signal;

    (i) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide said output signal to directly drive at least one light-emitting diode;

    (j) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide said output signal to directly drive light-emitting diodes in one of pointer and bar graph modes;

    (k) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide said output signal to directly drive a liquid crystal display;

    (l) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide said output signal to directly drive a low power liquid crystal display in one of pointer and bar graph modes;

    (m) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide said output signal to drive a continuously operating liquid crystal display;

    (n) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide said output signal to provide color coded status information;

    (o) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide said output signal to provide flashing modes at at least one range limit;

    (p) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide various conversion rate intervals to reduce apparent flicker when a borderline reading is made in a noisy environment;

    (q) said programmable semiconductor element having means to introduce hysteresis against said input signal to lessen likelihood of borderline flicker;

    (r) said programmable semiconductor element having means to provide for programming all integratable options in a non-volatile memory in said programmable semiconductor element at the time of manufacture of an instrument of which said apparatus is a part;

    (s) said programmable semiconductor element having means to operate said apparatus at a low quiescent current while maintaining high current drive capability;

    (t) said programmable semiconductor element having means to trim an oscillator in said programmable semiconductor element with instructions from said non-volatile memory in said programmable semiconductor element; and

    (u) said programmable semiconductor element having means to trim a band gap voltage regulator in said programmable semiconductor element with instructions from said nonvolatile memory in said programmable semiconductor element.

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