Temperature-to-color converter and conversion method
First Claim
1. An instrument for displaying temperature as color, the instrument comprising:
- a plurality of color sources, each color source being capable of engendering color of a different wavelength and variable apparent intensity, said each color source comprising an input capable of receiving a signal controlling color intensity of said each color source;
an electronic device comprising;
an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed,circuitry that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each color source, and generates a plurality of color intensity signals to control intensities of the plurality of color sources, one color intensity signal per said each color source, the color intensity signal of said each color source being controlled by the color intensity value of said each color source, anda plurality of outputs coupling the color intensity signals to the inputs of the color sources, the color intensity signal of said each color source being coupled to the input of said each color source; and
a combiner of the colors engendered by the plurality of color sources;
wherein;
the circuitry of the electronic device comprises a memory and a digital processor executing program code stored in the memory; and
the temperature readings comprise digitized indications of temperature, the instrument further comprising an analog-to-digital converter that receives analog indications of temperature, and digitizes the analog indications of temperature to convert the analog indications of temperature into the digitized indications of temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A color-to-temperature converter senses temperatures of a device, translates the temperatures into light of different colors, and emits or displays the light. The color-to-temperature converter includes a tri-color light emitting diode (LED) assembly with inputs corresponding to red, green, and blue monochromatic LEDs within the assembly. The processor of the converter separately controls the intensity of each monochromatic LED of the assembly, and the outputs of the monochromatic LEDs converge to appear as one color to an observer. In typical operation, the relationship between the temperature input and the converged color imparts to the observer an intuitive understanding of the consequences of the sensed temperatures to operation of the device whose temperatures the converter monitors.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. An instrument for displaying temperature as color, the instrument comprising:
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a plurality of color sources, each color source being capable of engendering color of a different wavelength and variable apparent intensity, said each color source comprising an input capable of receiving a signal controlling color intensity of said each color source; an electronic device comprising; an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed, circuitry that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each color source, and generates a plurality of color intensity signals to control intensities of the plurality of color sources, one color intensity signal per said each color source, the color intensity signal of said each color source being controlled by the color intensity value of said each color source, and a plurality of outputs coupling the color intensity signals to the inputs of the color sources, the color intensity signal of said each color source being coupled to the input of said each color source; and a combiner of the colors engendered by the plurality of color sources; wherein; the circuitry of the electronic device comprises a memory and a digital processor executing program code stored in the memory; and the temperature readings comprise digitized indications of temperature, the instrument further comprising an analog-to-digital converter that receives analog indications of temperature, and digitizes the analog indications of temperature to convert the analog indications of temperature into the digitized indications of temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An instrument for displaying temperature as color, the instrument comprising:
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a plurality of color sources, each color source being capable of engendering color of a different wavelength and variable apparent intensity, said each color source comprising an input capable of receiving a signal controlling color intensity of said each color source; an electronic device comprising; an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed, circuitry that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each color source, and generates a plurality of color intensity signals to control intensities of the plurality of color sources, one color intensity signal per said each color source, the color intensity signal of said each color source being controlled by the color intensity value of said each color source, and a plurality of outputs coupling the color intensity signals to the inputs of the color sources, the color intensity signal of said each color source being coupled to the input of said each color source; a combiner of the colors engendered by the plurality of color sources; and a plurality of buffer circuits coupling the outputs of the electronic device to the inputs of the color sources, a buffer circuit per said each color source, the buffer circuit of said each color source being interposed between the input of said each color source and the output of the electronic device corresponding to said each color source. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An instrument for displaying temperature as emitted light, the instrument comprising:
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a multicolor LED device comprising; a plurality of substantially monochromatic LEDs, each substantially monochromatic LED being capable of emitting light of a different wavelength, said each substantially monochromatic LED comprising an input for receiving a signal controlling the light emitted by said each substantially monochromatic LED, and a lens assembly positioned to receive and converge the light emitted by the plurality of substantially monochromatic LEDs; and an electronic device comprising; an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed, circuitry that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each substantially monochromatic LED, and generates a plurality of color intensity signals to control intensities of the plurality of substantially monochromatic LEDs, one color intensity signal per said each substantially monochromatic LED, the color intensity signal of said each substantially monochromatic LED being controlled by the color intensity value of said each substantially monochromatic LED, and a plurality of outputs coupling the color intensity signals to the inputs of the substantially monochromatic LEDs, the color intensity signal of said each substantially monochromatic LED being coupled to the input of said each substantially monochromatic LED; wherein; the circuitry of the electronic device comprises a memory and a digital processor executing program code stored in the memory; and the temperature readings comprise digitized indications of temperature, the instrument further comprising an analog-to-digital converter that receives analog indications of temperature, and digitizes the analog indications of temperature to convert the analog indications of temperature into the digitized indications of temperature. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An instrument for displaying temperature as color, the instrument comprising:
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means for engendering colors of different wavelengths and intensities controlled by a plurality of color intensity signals, one color intensity signal per engendered color; means for receiving temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed and determining a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each engendered color; means for generating the plurality of color intensity signals controlled by the plurality of color intensity values; means for converging the engendered colors; and means for receiving analog temperature indications and digitizing the analog temperature indications to obtain digitized temperature indications, wherein the temperature readings comprise the digitized temperature indications. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of displaying temperature as color, the method comprising:
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obtaining temperature indications by acquiring analog temperature indications and digitizing the analog temperature indications; translating each temperature indication into a plurality of basic constituent colors by computing a plurality of color intensity values, one color intensity value per basic constituent color; generating the colors of the plurality of basic constituent colors, each generated basic constituent color having intensity determined by the color intensity value of said each basic constituent color; and converging the generated basic constituent colors. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An instrument for displaying temperature as color, the instrument comprising:
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a plurality of color sources, each color source being capable of engendering color of a different wavelength and variable apparent intensity, said each color source comprising an input capable of receiving a signal controlling color intensity of said each color source; and an electronic device comprising; an input that receives temperature readings indicative of the temperature to be displayed, circuitry that determines a plurality of color intensity values for each temperature reading, one color intensity value per said each color source, and generates a plurality of color intensity signals to control intensities of the plurality of color sources, one color intensity signal per said each color source, the color intensity signal of said each color source being controlled by the color intensity value of said each color source, and a plurality of outputs coupling the color intensity signals to the inputs of the color sources, the color intensity signal of said each color source being coupled to the input of said each color source; wherein; the temperature readings comprise digitized indications of temperature, the instrument further comprising an analog-to-digital converter that receives analog indications of temperature, and digitizes the analog indications of temperature to convert the analog indications of temperature into the digitized indications of temperature.
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Specification