Device for automatically switching color of luminescent dashboard

• US 6,583,569 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2002
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ching-Hung Wang
• Original Assignee: Ching-Hung Wang
• Inventors: Wang, Ching-Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, David
• Application Number:
  US10/113,674
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 340/461, 340/462, 315/77, 315/79, 315/80
• US Class Current: 315/79
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/349 Adjustment of brightness
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/349 Adjustment of brightness
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity

Abstract

A device enables automatic switching of color of a luminescent dashboard in response to changes in driving speed of a car. The device also includes a luminance sensor and a commutating circuit that enable both automatic and manual actuating of a dashboard lamp when a reduced luminance in surrounding environment is sensed by the device.

Claims

1. A device for automatically switching color of luminescent dashboard, comprising:

a driving power source;

a commutating circuit connected to an output of said driving power source and generally composed of a current, limiter, an oscillating circuit, and a transformer for providing stable driving power output;

a voltage control circuit having an input connected to said driving power source and generally composed of a voltage controller, a digital controller, a voltage attenuator, and a frequency controller;

said voltage control circuit having an output connected to said commutating circuit with said frequency controller connected to said transformer of said commutating circuit, so as to provide different voltages and frequencies for actuating cold light of different colors;

a luminescent device connected to an output of said commutating circuit to generate cold light of different colors in response to variable voltages and variable frequencies provided by said commutating circuit; and

a display device connected to an output of said frequency controller for displaying numerals on meters mounted on said luminescent dashboard.

2. The device for automatically switching color of luminescent dashboard as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cold light actuating circuit connected to said commutating circuit and generally composed of a luminance sensor, a trigger circuit, and an electronic switch;

said cold light actuating circuit automatically actuating said luminescent device to illuminate said dashboard when a surrounding environment has a reduced luminance.

3. A device for automatically switching color of luminescent dashboard, comprising:

a driving power source that may be a battery;

a control circuit generally composed of a headlight switch assembly, a current limiter, and an oscillating circuit for adjusting current and outputting control instructions;

a trigger switch circuit generally composed of a luminance sensor, a trigger circuit (Schmidt trigger), and an electronic switch for actuating said electronic switch when a specific luminance is sensed;

a voltage/frequency control circuit mainly composed of a driving control computer, a voltage-stabilizing IC, a digital controller, an increment key, a decrement key, a voltage attenuator, and a frequency controller;

wherein said driving control computer providing information about driving speed, said increment key, said decrement key, and said voltage attenuator together controlling a magnitude of output voltage, and said digital controller outputting variable-frequency signals to said frequency controller; and

an auto-connected boosting transformer for receiving an output signal from said control circuit and output voltage and output frequency from said voltage/frequency control circuit in order to operate a luminescent member, and feeding any obtained information back to said control circuit.