Information display apparatus

Claim 2

An information display apparatus comprising: a controlled device; light source means for providing light along an optical path; display means; target means in said optical path and optically coupled to said display means, said target means including first and second portions respectively responsive to light having first and second predetermined spectral compositions for producing alternative displays at said display means; filter means in said optical path, including a first filter portion for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition when said first filter portion intercepts said light, and a second filter portion for Filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition when said second filter portion intercepts said light; and driving means coupling the device and said filter means, said driving means being responsive to status changes of said device for driving said filter means to traverse said optical path such that said first filter portion intercepts said light at times when said device is controlled within a preselected control range and said second filter portion intercepts said light at other times.

Claim 3

An information display apparatus comprising: a controlled device; light source means for providing light along an optical path; display means; target means in said optical path and optically coupled to said display means, said target means including first and second portions respectively responsive to light having first and second predetermined spectral compositions for producing alternative displays at said display means; and filter means in said optical path and including first and second filter portions, said filter means being coupled to the device in such manner that said first filter portion intercepts said optical path for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition at times when said device is controlled within a first preselected control range and said second filter portion intercepts said optical path for filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition at times when said device is controlled within a second preselected control range.

Claim 4

An information display apparatus comprising: a controlled device; light source means for providing light along an optical path; display means; target means in said optical path and optically coupled to said display means, said target means including first and second portions respectively responsive to light having first and second predetermined spectral compositions for producing alternative displays at said display means; and filter means in said optical path and including first and second filter portions, said filter means being coupled to the device in such manner that said first filter portion intercepts said optical path for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition at times when said device is controlled within a first preselected control range and said second filter portion intercepts said optical path for filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition at times when said device is controlled within a second preselected control range.

Claim 5

In combination with a controlled device, apparatus for displaying information concerning control status of the device, comprising the combination of: light source means for providing light along an optical path; target means in said optical path, including a first target portion for transmitting light having a first predetermined spectral composition and for absorbing light having a second predetermined spectral composition, and a second target portion for transmitting light having said first predetermined spectral composition and for transmitting light having said second predetermined spectral composition; filter means in said optical path, including a first filter portion for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition when said first filter portion intercepts said light, and a second filter portion for filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition when said second filter portion intercepts said light; driving means coupling the device and said filter means, said driving means being responsive to status changes of the device for driving said filter means to traverse said optical path such that said first filter portion intercepts said light at times when the device is controlled within a preselected control range and said second filter portion intercepts said light at other times; and display means optically coupled to said target means for providing a visible display of light transmitted by said target means.

Claim 6

In combination with a controlled device, apparatus for displaying information concerning control status of the device, comprising the combination of: light source means for providing light along an optical path; target means in said optical path, including a first target portion for transmitting light having a first predetermined spectral composition and for absorbing light having a second predetermined spectral composition, and a second target portion for transmitting light having said first predetermined spectral composition and for transmitting light having said second predetermined spectral composition; filter means in said optical path, including a first filter portion for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition when said first filter portion intercepts said light, and a second filter portion for filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition when said second filter portion intercepts said light; driving means coupling the device and said filter means, said driving means being responsive to status changes of the device for driving said filter means to traverse said optical path such that said first filter portion intercepts said light at times when the device is controlled within a preselected control range and said second filter portion intercepts said light at other times; and display means optically coupled to said target means for providing a visible display of light transmitted by said target means.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 3, above, wherein said filter means includes opaque alphanumeric indicia corresponding to the control status of the device and arranged thereon to correspondingly superimpose said second target portion.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 3, above, wherein said first target portion further includes opaque indicia superimposed thereon.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 3, above, wherein said second target portion further includes indicia superimposed thereon for transmitting light having said first spectral composition and for absorbing light having said second spectral composition.

Claim 10

In a camera having a viewfinder and an iris, apparatus for producing in the viewfinder visible displays of information concerning the size of the iris aperture, comprising the combination of: light source means for providing light along an optical path; target means in said optical path for producing first visible indicia in response to light having a first predetermined spectral composition, and alternatively for producing second visible indicia in response to light having a second predetermined spectral composition; filter means in said optical path, said filter means including first and second filter portions and coupled to the iris in such manner that said first filter portion intercepts said optical path for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition at times when the iris is disposed to provide an aperture within a first preselected size range, and said second filter portion intercepts said optical path for filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition at times when the iris is disposed to provide an aperture within a second preselected size range; and display means optically coupled to said target means for providing displays of said first and second visible indicia.

Claim 11

In a camera having a viewfinder and an iris, apparatus for producing in the viewfinder visible displays of information concerning the size of the iris aperture, comprising the combination of: light source means for providing light along an optical path; target means in said optical path for producing first visible indicia in response to light having a first predetermined spectral composition, and alternatively for producing second visible indicia in response to light having a second predetermined spectral composition; filter means in said optical path, said filter means including first and second filter portions and coupled to the iris in such manner that said first filter portion intercepts said optical path for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition at times when the iris is disposed to provide an aperture within a first preselected size range, and said second filter portion intercepts said optical path for filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition at times when the iris is disposed to provide an aperture within a second preselected size range; and display means optically coupled to said target means for providing displays of said first and second visible indicia.

Claim 12

In a camera having a viewfinder and an iris, apparatus for producing in the viewfinder visible displays of information concerning the size of the iris aperture, comprising the combination of: light source means for providing light along an optical path; target means in said optical path, including a first target portion for transmitting light having a first predetermined spectral composition and for absorbing light having a second predetermined spectral composition, and a second target portion for transmitting light having said first predetermined spectral composition and for transmitting light having said second predetermined spectral composition; filter means in said optical path, including a first filter portion for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition when said first filter portion intercepts said light, and a second filter portion for filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition when said second filter portion intercepts said light: means coupling the iris and said filter means and responsive to changes in size of the iris aperture, for driving said filter means to traverse said optical path such that said first filter portion intercepts said light at times when the iris is controlled to provide an aperture within a preselected size range and said second filter portion intercepts said light at other times; and optical means between said target means and the viewfinder, for providing a visible display in the viewfinder of light transmitted by said target means.

Claim 13

In a camera having a viewfinder and an iris, apparatus for producing in the viewfinder visible displays of information concerning the size of the iris aperture, comprising the combination of: light source means for providing light along an optical path; target means in said optical path, including a first target portion for transmitting light having a first predetermined spectral composition and for absorbing light having a second predetermined spectral composition, and a second target portion for transmitting light having said first predetermined spectral composition and for transmitting light having said second predetermined spectral composition; filter means in said optical path, including a first filter portion for filtering said light to have said first predetermined spectral composition when said first filter portion intercepts said light, and a second filter portion for filtering said light to have said second predetermined spectral composition when said second filter portion intercepts said light: means coupling the iris and said filter means and responsive to changes in size of the iris aperture, for driving said filter means to traverse said optical path such that said first filter portion intercepts said light at times when the iris is controlled to provide an aperture within a preselected size range and said second filter portion intercepts said light at other times; and optical means between said target means and the viewfinder, for providing a visible display in the viewfinder of light transmitted by said target means.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 8, above, the camera including a housing, wherein said light source means includes: window means in the housing for admitting ambient light along said optical path; lamp means for generating light along said optical path; and switching means adapted to be actuated by the iris for controlling said lamp to generate light along said optical path when the iris aperture is within said preselected size range.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 8, above, wherein said first target portion further includes opaque alphanumeric indicia superimposed thereon.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 8, above, wherein said second target portion further includes alphanumeric indicia superimposed thereon for transmitting light having said first spectral composition and for absorbing light having said second spectral composition.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 8, above, wherein said filter means traverses said optical path in response to changes in iris aperture size, and said second filter portion includes opaque alphanumeric indicia corresponding to iris aperture size and arranged thereon to correspondingly superimpose said second target portion.