Multicolor display element with enable input

• US 6,424,327 B2
• Filed: 08/11/1999
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• 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): Saras, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): AWAD, AMR A
• Application Number:
  US09/373,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20020000957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 345/82, 345/83, 345/150, 345/589, 324/115, 324/96, 313/500, 313/501, 257/89, 257/90
• 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 display element includes a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern, each including light emitting diodes of respective primary colors, which are coupled to the buses in accordance with their colors. A single enable input is provided for receiving an enable signal having an active level and an inactive level, for selectively extinguishing the entire display element and for illuminating the selected display areas in a desired color. The enable input jointly controls the conductivity of tri-state buffers which are respectively coupled to the buses.

Claims

1. A multicolor display element comprising:

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 respective primary colors and means for combining said light signals in said display area to obtain a light signal of a composite color;

means for selectively forwardly biasing said light emitting diodes for exhibiting a desired display unit;

a plurality of color control inputs for selectively receiving color control signals, each said color control signal having a single active level, for illuminating said display unit in a desired color; and

a single enable input for selectively allowing and not allowing, in accordance with an enable signal, said color control signals to illuminate said display unit.

2. A multicolor display element comprising:

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 respective primary colors and means for combining said light signals in said display area to obtain a light signal of a composite color;

means for selectively forwardly biasing said light emitting diodes for exhibiting a desired display unit;

a plurality of color control inputs for selectively receiving color control signals, each said color control signal having a single active level, for illuminating said display unit in a desired color; and

a single enable input for an enable signal for selectively allowing said color control signals to illuminate said display unit and for not allowing said color control signals to illuminate said display unit.