Abstract An electrically operated, signal magnitude display device of a non-mechanical, compact type suitable to substitute for a panel meter, with the capability of converting an input digital electrical signal into a visual analog display wherein the magnitude of the input signal is to be represented by an appropriate indication of position within the field of the display. The device comprises a display section having a plurality of electrically activatable luminous elements, such as luminous diodes, arranged in a one-dimensional array so that the elements may be independently activated to luminesce and thereby serve to visually define an incrementally variable position within the array. An electrical circuit, interconnecting with the luminescent element terminals through respective intersecting common groups of terminals in a matrix circuit, responds to the input signal and selects the specific luminous element positioned in the array to correspond to the magnitude of the input signal. In a practical example, the electrical circuit receives, e.g., two digits of a binary coded decimal input signal and converts them to two decimal signals gating two intersecting groups of ten terminals in the matrix circuit to form an activation circuit through the one luminescent element whose terminals appear in the two groups.
A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said display section comprises luminous elements arranged in first and second one-dimensional arrays, the second one-dimensional array being adjacent to the first array and the elements of the second array emitting in a different color of light from the elements in said first array, and wherein the means for separately applying the input signals comprises means for applying one input signal to said first array of elements and the other input signal to said second array of elements, whereby the magnitudes of the two input signals are displayed in different coLors in the display section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for separately applying the input signals comprises means in the electric circuit means arranged to sequentially respond to said two input signals, whereby separate luminous elements will be independently selected and activated to indicate the magnitudes of the two input signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A display device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said luminous elements have luminances dependent upon the average period of time of activation, and wherein said electric circuit means sequentially responds to said two input signals for respectively different periods of time, whereby said two input signals are represented by elements with different luminances.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A display device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said display section further comprises indicia affixed adjacent said array of elements to signify the magnitudes corresponding to the positions of the elements.