Variable color display device having display area and background area

• US 6,219,014 B1
• Filed: 08/18/1998
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• 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): Wu, Xiao
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, FRANCIS N
• Application Number:
  US09/136,110
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 345/83, 345/82, 345/33, 345/34, 345/30, 345/39, 345/152, 345/150, 345/45-46, 345/102, 345/204, 345/114, 345/44, 340/815.67, 340/815.45, 340/825.82, 340/815.53, 340/815.44, 340/815.65, 324/115, 307/38-40, 368/241
• 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 light emitting diode display device includes a variable color display area, for exhibiting a selective display unit, substantially surrounded by a variable color background area. The light emitting diodes in the display area are commonly coupled to a plurality of display buses, in accordance with their display colors. Similarly, the light emitting diodes in the background area are commonly coupled to a plurality of background buses, in accordance with their background colors. A display color control is provided for selectively activating the display buses, for illuminating a desired display unit in a selective color. A background color control is further provided for activating the background buses, for illuminating the background area in a uniform color different from the color of the display area.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a plurality of adjacent display elements, each said display element including a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, when selectively forwardly biased, a plurality of characters;

a plurality of variable color background areas, equal in number to the number of said display elements, each said background area substantially surrounding one of said display elements and including a plurality of background regions, each said background region including a first light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a first primary color, a second light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a second primary color, and means for combining said light signals in said background region to obtain a light signal of a composite color;

each said background area including a first background color control input to which said first light emitting diodes in all its background regions are commonly coupled for being forwardly biased when a color control signal is applied thereto, and a second background color control input to which said second light emitting diodes in all its background regions are commonly coupled for being forwardly biased when a color control signal is applied thereto; and

means for coupling all said first background color control inputs and for coupling all said second background color control inputs.

2. A display device comprising:

a plurality of adjacent display elements, each said display element including a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, when selectively forwardly biased, a plurality of characters;

a plurality of variable color background areas, equal in number to the number of said display elements, each said background area substantially surrounding one of said display elements and including a plurality of background regions, each said background region including a first light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a first primary color, a second light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a second primary 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 background region to obtain a light signal of a composite color;

each said background area including a first background color control input to which said first light emitting diodes in all its background regions are commonly coupled for being forwardly biased when a color control signal is applied thereto, a second background color control input to which said second light emitting diodes in all its background regions are commonly coupled for being forwardly biased when a color control signal is applied thereto, and a third background color control input to which said third light emitting diodes in all its background regions are commonly coupled for being forwardly biased when a color control signal is applied thereto; and

means for coupling all said first background color control inputs, for coupling all said second background color control inputs, and for coupling all said third background color control inputs.