Dual variable color display device

• US 6,577,287 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• 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:
  US09/788,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20020003511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 345/82.83, 345/589, 324/115, 324/99.D, 324/96
• 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 single variable color display device simultaneously exhibits two distinct display units in a side by side relation. Two color controls are provided for illuminating the display units in respectively different colors so they could be readily distinguished.

Claims

1. A variable color display device comprising:

a single display device including a first variable color light emitting diode display font, including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of first data in a selective color and having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, and a second variable color light emitting diode display font, including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of second data in a selective color and having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, said first display font and said second display font being arranged in distinct and separate positions within said display device;

means for providing a display indication of said first data on said first display font;

means for providing a display indication of said second data on said second display font;

first color control means for applying said first color control signal to said color control input of said first display font, for illuminating said display indication of said first data in a first color; and

second color control means for applying said second color control signal to said color control input of said second display font, for illuminating said display indication of said second data in a second color;

whereby said display indication of said first data and said display indication of said second data, exhibited on said display device, are distinguished by different colors.

2. A variable color display device comprising:

a single display device including a first variable color light emitting diode display font, including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of first data in a selective color and having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, and a second variable color light emitting diode display font, including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of second data in a selective color and having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, said first display font and said second display font being arranged in distinct and separate positions in a side by side relation within said display device;

means for providing a display indication of said first data on said first display font;

means for providing a display indication of said second data on said second display font;

first color control means for applying said first color control signal to said color control input of said first display font, for illuminating said display indication of said first data in a first color; and

second color control means for applying said second color control signal to said color control input of said second display font, for illuminating said display indication of said second data in a second color;

whereby said display indication of said first data and said display indication of said second data are exhibited on said display device in a side by side relation and distinguished by different colors.

3. A variable color display device comprising:

a single display device including a first variable color light emitting diode display font, including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of first data in a selective color and having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, and a second variable color light emitting diode display font, including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of second data in a selective color and having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, said first display font and said second display font being arranged in distinct and separate positions in a side by side relation within said display device, for defining the most significant display font and the least significant display font;

means for providing a display indication of said first data on said most significant display font;

means for providing a display indication of said second data on said least significant display font;

first color control means for applying said first color control signal to said color control input of said most significant display font, for illuminating said display indication of said first data in a first color; and

second color control means for applying said second color control signal to said color control input of said least significant display font, for illuminating said display indication of said second data in a second color;

whereby said display indication of said first data and said display indication of said second data are exhibited on said display device in a side by side relation and distinguished by different colors.

4. A variable color display device comprising:

a single display device including a first set of a plurality of variable color light emitting diode display fonts, each including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of first data in a selective color, each having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, and a second set of a plurality of variable color light emitting diode display fonts, each including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of second data in a selective color, each having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, said first set of said display fonts and said second set of said display fonts being arranged in distinct and separate positions in a side by side relation within said display device;

means for providing a display indication of said first data on said first set of said display fonts;

means for providing a display indication of said second data on said second set of said display fonts;

first color control means for applying said first color control signal to said color control inputs of all said display fonts in said first set, for illuminating said display indication of said first data in a first color; and

second color control means for applying said second color control signal to said color control inputs of all said display fonts in said second set, for illuminating said display indication of said second data in a second color;

whereby said display indication of said first data and said display indication of said second data are exhibited on said display device in a side by side relation and distinguished by different colors.

5. A variable color display device comprising:

a single display device including a first set of a plurality of variable color light emitting diode display fonts, each including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of first data in a selective color, each having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, and a second set of a plurality of variable color light emitting diode display fonts, each including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for providing a display indication of second data in a selective color, each having a color control input for illuminating said display indication in a first color in response to a first color control signal and in a second color in response to a second color control signal, said first set of said display fonts and said second set of said display fonts being arranged in distinct and separate positions in a side by side relation within said display device, for defining the most significant display fonts and the least significant display fonts;

means for providing a display indication of said first data on said most significant display fonts;

means for providing a display indication of said second data on said least significant display fonts;

first color control means for applying said first color control signal to said color control inputs of all said most significant display fonts, for illuminating said display indication of said first data in a first color; and

second color control means for applying said second color control signal to said color control inputs of all said least significant display fonts, for illuminating said display indication of said second data in a second color;

whereby said display indication of said first data and said display indication of said second data are exhibited on said display device in a side by side relation and distinguished by different colors.