Annular bar graph and multi-segment display

• US 8,570,284 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Rudolph, John, Yao, William
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, NICHOLAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/645,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-176
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/083 on tops, hot plates
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/086 touch control
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96046 Key-pad combined with display, back-lit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96066 Thumbwheel, potentiometer, scrollbar or slider simulation by touch switch

Abstract

Provided is a display comprising a first plurality of light-emitting elements forming an annular bar graph, and a numerical display within the annular bar graph. The annular bar graph displays information graphically, and the numerical display simultaneously displays the same information numerically.

Claims

1. A packaged display device, comprising:

a printed circuit board having a common housing mounted thereon;

a first plurality of light-emitting elements, forming an annular bar graph, mounted within the common housing on the printed circuit board;

a second plurality of light-emitting elements, forming a multi-segment display within the annular bar graph, also mounted within the common housing on the printed circuit board; and

wherein both of the first plurality of light-emitting elements and the second plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged electrically as a matrix between both of a first group of terminals on the printed circuit board and a second group of terminals on the printed circuit board such that a selected light-emitting element of either of the first plurality or second plurality of light-emitting elements is activated through switching a plurality of individual terminals included in the first group and second group of terminals that collectively identify the selected light-emitting element to be activated, and

wherein the first group of terminals and the second group of terminals are configured for surface mounting the packaged display device to another printed circuit board.

2. The packaged display device according to claim 1, further comprising a third plurality of light-emitting elements that selectively illuminate text, wherein the text is located within the annular bar graph adjacent to the multi-segment display.

3. The packaged display device according to claim 2, wherein the annular bar graph includes a plurality of arcuate segments surrounding the multi-segment display and text.

4. A user interface, comprising:

a substrate;

an annular touch-sensitive input located on a first surface of the substrate and surrounding a through-hole in the substrate;

a packaged display device aligned with the through-hole in the substrate, and mounted to a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface, the packaged display device comprising;

a first plurality of light-emitting elements forming an annular bar graph concentrically within the annular touch-sensitive input; and

a numerical display located within the annular bar graph, the numerical display includes a second plurality of light-emitting elements,

wherein the packaged display device comprises a common housing for the first plurality of light-emitting elements and the second plurality of light-emitting elements, wherein the first plurality of light-emitting elements and the second plurality of light-emitting elements are located within the common housing, wherein both of the first plurality of light-emitting elements and the second plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged electrically as a matrix between both of a first group of terminals and a second group of terminals, and

wherein based on a rotational input using the annular touch-sensitive input, a number displayed by the numerical display changes and a corresponding rotational light display is generated by the annular bar graph, the rotational light display including a circumferentially lengthening light segment, such that the annular bar graph displays changing information corresponding to the rotational input graphically and the numerical display simultaneously displays the same changing information numerically within the annular bar graph.

5. The user interface according to claim 4, wherein the first group of terminals and the second group of terminals are located on a printed circuit board forming a part of the common housing of the packaged display device, and wherein the first group of terminals and the second group of terminals surface mount the packaged display device to the second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface.