Multicolor multi-element display system

• US 6,239,776 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1986
• 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
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZAMANI, ALI A
• Application Number:
  US09/073,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 345/83, 345/150, 345/151, 345/152, 345/34, 345/39, 345/44, 345/82, 345/114, 345/155, 345/46, 345/48, 324/115, 313/510
• US Class Current: 345/83
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/02 for displaying measured electric variables in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/26 Circuits for controlling the intensity of the electron beam or the colour of the display
• 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: G01R 15/125 for digital multimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0452 Details of colour pixel setup, e.g. pixel composed of a red, a blue and two green components
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0275 Details of drivers for data electrodes, other than drivers for liquid crystal, plasma or OLED displays, not related to handling digital grey scale data or to communication of data to the pixels by means of a current
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

A multicolor multi-element display system includes a plurality of multicolor display elements, each having color control inputs for controlling its color and an enable input for controlling its condition. The color control signals are commonly presented to the interconnected color control inputs of all display elements. The individual display elements are independently illuminated or extinguished by enable control signals presented to their enable inputs.

Claims

1. A method for illuminating a multicolor display system which includes a plurality of display elements, each said display element including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, upon selective activation, a plurality of display units, each said display area including a plurality of light emitting diodes for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a plurality of primary colors, respectively, and means for combining said light signals in said display area to obtain a light signal of a composite color, a plurality of enable devices equal in number to the plurality of said display elements and respectively associated therewith, each said enable device including an enable input, for receiving an enable signal of a predetermined value, for allowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, each said display element further including a color control input for receiving a color control signal, for illuminating said display element, when enabled by said enable signal, in a color in accordance with said color control signal, the method comprising the steps of:

commonly applying said color control signal to the color control inputs of all said display elements; and

selectively presenting said enable signal to said enable input of a certain one of said display elements, for causing it to illuminate a display unit in a color in accordance with said color control signal.

2. A multicolor display system comprising:

a plurality of display elements, each said display element including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, upon selective activation, a plurality of display units, each said display area including a plurality of light emitting diodes for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a plurality of primary colors, respectively, and means for combining said light signals in said display area to obtain a light signal of a composite color, a plurality of enable devices equal in number to the plurality of said display elements and respectively associated therewith, each said enable device including an enable input, for receiving an enable signal of a predetermined value, for allowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, each said display element further including a color control input for receiving a color control signal, for illuminating said display element, when enabled by said enable signal, in a color in accordance with said color control signal;

means for commonly applying said color control signal to the color control inputs of all said display elements; and

means for selectively presenting said enable signal to said enable input of a certain one of said display elements, for causing it to illuminate a display unit in a color in accordance with said color control signal.

3. A multicolor display system comprising:

a plurality of display elements, each said display element including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, upon selective activation, a plurality of display units, each said display area including a plurality of light emitting diodes for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a plurality of primary colors, respectively, and means for combining said light signals in said display area to obtain a light signal of a composite color, each said display element including a color control input for receiving a color control signal, for illuminating said display unit in a color in accordance with said color control signal;

a plurality of enable devices, equal in number to the plurality of said display elements and respectively associated therewith, for selectively allowing and disallowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, each said enable device including an enable input, for receiving an active enable signal, for allowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, and an inactive signal, for disallowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased;

means for commonly applying said color control signal to the color control inputs of all said display elements; and

means for selectively presenting said active enable signal to the enable input associated with a certain one of said display elements, for causing it to illuminate said display unit in a color in accordance with said color control signal.

4. A multicolor display system comprising:

plurality of display elements, each said display element including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, upon selective activation, a plurality of display units, each said display area including a plurality of light emitting diodes for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a plurality of primary colors, respectively, and means for combining said light signals in said display area to obtain a light signal of a composite color, each said display element including a plurality of color control inputs for receiving a color control signal, for illuminating said display unit in a color in accordance with a color control input to which said color control signal is applied;

a plurality of enable devices, equal in number to the plurality of said display elements and respectively associated therewith, for selectively allowing and disallowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, each said enable device including an enable input, for receiving an active enable signal, for allowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, and an inactive signal, for disallowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased;

means for respectively interconnecting the color control inputs of all said display elements;

means for selectively applying said color control signal to the interconnected color control inputs; and

means for selectively presenting said active enable signal to the enable input associated with a certain one of said display elements, for causing it to illuminate said display unit in a color in accordance with said color control signal.

5. A multicolor display system comprising:

a plurality of display elements, each said display element including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, upon selective activation, a plurality of display units, each said display area 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 display area to obtain a light signal of a composite color, each said display element including a first color control input, for receiving a color control signal for illuminating said display unit in said first primary color, a second color control input, for receiving a color control signal for illuminating said display unit in said second primary color, and a third color control input, for illuminating said display unit in said composite color;

a plurality of enable devices, equal in number to the plurality of said display elements and respectively associated therewith, for selectively allowing and disallowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, each said enable device including an enable input, for receiving an active enable signal, for allowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, and an inactive signal, for disallowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased;

means for respectively interconnecting said first color control inputs, said second color control inputs, and said third color control inputs of all said display elements;

means for selectively applying said color control signal to the interconnected color control inputs; and

means for selectively presenting said active enable signal to the enable input associated with a certain one of said display elements, for causing it to illuminate said display unit in a color in accordance with said color control signal.

6. A multicolor display system comprising:

a plurality of display elements, each said display element including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, upon selective activation, a plurality of display units, each said display area 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 primary color, and means for combining said light signals in said display area to obtain a light signal of a composite color, each said display element including a first color control input, for receiving a color control signal for illuminating said display unit in said first primary color, a second color control input, for receiving a color control signal for illuminating said display unit in said second primary color, a third color control input, for illuminating said display unit in said third primary color, a fourth color control input, for receiving a color control signal for illuminating said display unit in a first composite color, a fifth color control input, for receiving a color control signal for illuminating said display unit in a second composite color, a sixth color control input, for illuminating said display unit in a third composite color, and a seventh color control signal, for illuminating said display unit in a fourth composite color;

a plurality of enable devices, equal in number to the plurality of said display elements and respectively associated therewith, for selectively allowing and disallowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, each said enable device including an enable input, for receiving an active enable signal, for allowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased, and an inactive signal, for disallowing said light emitting diodes in said display element to be forwardly biased;

means for respectively interconnecting said first color control inputs, said second color control inputs, said third color control inputs, said fourth color control inputs, said fifth color control inputs, said sixth color control inputs, and said sevenths color control inputs of all said display elements;

means for selectively applying said color control signal to the interconnected color control inputs; and

means for selectively presenting said active enable signal to the enable input associated with a certain one of said display elements, for causing it to illuminate said display unit in a color in accordance with said color control signal.