Analog gauge driver
First Claim
1. A system for driving an analog gauge that displays an indication of a condition of a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a microcontroller that receives a signal representing a voltage at a sender terminal of the analog gauge and a signal representing the condition of the vehicle; and
a current driver circuit in signal communication with the microcontroller;
wherein the microcontroller determines a desired resistance based on the condition of the vehicle, and determines a current command signal based on the desired resistance and the voltage at the sender terminal of the analog gauge;
wherein the microcontroller sends the current command signal to the current driver circuit to command a flow of current through the current driver circuit;
wherein the current driver circuit is coupled to the sender terminal of the analog gauge and has a virtual resistance simulated by the flow of current through the current driver circuit and the voltage at the sender terminal of the analog gauge; and
wherein the analog gauge is driven according to the virtual resistance of the current driver circuit so as to display the indication of the condition of the vehicle.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for driving an analog gauge that displays an indication of a condition of a vehicle has a microcontroller that receives signals representing a voltage at a sender terminal of the analog gauge and the condition of the vehicle. The microcontroller determines a desired resistance based on the condition of the vehicle and a current command signal based on the desired resistance and the voltage at the sender terminal. The microcontroller sends the current command signal to a current driver circuit to command a flow of current. The current driver circuit is coupled to the sender terminal and has a virtual resistance simulated by the flow of current through the current driver circuit and the voltage at the sender terminal. The analog gauge is driven according to the virtual resistance of the current driver circuit and displays the indication of the condition of the vehicle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for driving an analog gauge that displays an indication of a condition of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a microcontroller that receives a signal representing a voltage at a sender terminal of the analog gauge and a signal representing the condition of the vehicle; and a current driver circuit in signal communication with the microcontroller; wherein the microcontroller determines a desired resistance based on the condition of the vehicle, and determines a current command signal based on the desired resistance and the voltage at the sender terminal of the analog gauge; wherein the microcontroller sends the current command signal to the current driver circuit to command a flow of current through the current driver circuit; wherein the current driver circuit is coupled to the sender terminal of the analog gauge and has a virtual resistance simulated by the flow of current through the current driver circuit and the voltage at the sender terminal of the analog gauge; and wherein the analog gauge is driven according to the virtual resistance of the current driver circuit so as to display the indication of the condition of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for displaying an indication of a sensed condition of a vehicle with an analog gauge, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal representing the sensed condition of the vehicle; determining a value of the sensed condition of the vehicle; determining a desired resistance that corresponds to the value of the sensed condition of the vehicle; determining a voltage at a sender terminal of the analog gauge; determining a current command signal based on the desired resistance and the voltage at the sender terminal of the analog gauge; sending the current command signal to a current driver circuit coupled to the sender terminal of the analog gauge to command a flow of current through the current driver circuit; and driving the analog gauge according to a virtual resistance of the current driver circuit so as to display the indication of the sensed condition of the vehicle; wherein the virtual resistance of the current driver circuit is simulated by the flow of current through the current driver circuit and the voltage at the sender terminal of the analog gauge. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification