GB2046976A - Improvements in and relating to information display arrangements - Google Patents
Improvements in and relating to information display arrangements Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2046976A GB2046976A GB7913321A GB7913321A GB2046976A GB 2046976 A GB2046976 A GB 2046976A GB 7913321 A GB7913321 A GB 7913321A GB 7913321 A GB7913321 A GB 7913321A GB 2046976 A GB2046976 A GB 2046976A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- display
- value
- arrangement according
- input signal
- visible
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G04—HOROLOGY
- G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
- G04G9/00—Visual time or date indication means
- G04G9/02—Visual time or date indication means by selecting desired characters out of a number of characters or by selecting indicating elements the position of which represent the time, e.g. by using multiplexing techniques
- G04G9/04—Visual time or date indication means by selecting desired characters out of a number of characters or by selecting indicating elements the position of which represent the time, e.g. by using multiplexing techniques by controlling light sources, e.g. electroluminescent diodes
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R13/00—Arrangements for displaying electric variables or waveforms
- G01R13/40—Arrangements for displaying electric variables or waveforms using modulation of a light beam otherwise than by mechanical displacement, e.g. by Kerr effect
- G01R13/404—Arrangements for displaying electric variables or waveforms using modulation of a light beam otherwise than by mechanical displacement, e.g. by Kerr effect for discontinuous display, i.e. display of discrete values
- G01R13/405—Arrangements for displaying electric variables or waveforms using modulation of a light beam otherwise than by mechanical displacement, e.g. by Kerr effect for discontinuous display, i.e. display of discrete values using a plurality of active, i.e. light emitting, e.g. electro-luminescent elements, i.e. bar graphs
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Control Of Indicators Other Than Cathode Ray Tubes (AREA)
Abstract
An information display arrangement is disclosed comprising inner (A) and outer (B) rings of light emitting diodes or similar devices. The value of the input signal being displayed is sampled and converted into the corresponding number of pulses. Part of this number is displayed by one of the rings and the other part by the other ring. Specifically, an appropriate one of the display devices of the outer ring (B) can be energised to display the "units" of the number of pulses and an appropriate one of the LED's of the inner array (A) can be energised to display the "tens". In addition, in either or both of the arrays (A, B) all the previous energised LED's can remain energised so as to provide an arcuate bar-display. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Improvements in and relating to information display arrangements
The invention relates to the display of information, for example the display of measurement information such as the values of electrical measurements.
Various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, given by way of example only, of information display systems embodying the invention reference being made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of one form of display unit of the system;
Figure2correspondsto Figure 1 but shows the display unit in operation;
Figure 3 is a block circuit diagram of one form of circuitry forming part of the system;
Figure 4 shows waveforms for explaining the operation of the circuitry of Figure 3; and
Figure 5 is a block circuit diagram corresponding to Figure 1 but showing a modified form of the circuitry.
More specifically to be described below is an information display arrangement comprising a plurality of juxtaposed longitudinal display means each electrically energisable to produce a respective visible display moving longitudinally, and energising means for energising the display means in dependence on the value of an input signal so that the ratio between a predetermined incremental change in the signal and the resultant movement of the visible display is different for each of the display means and is predetermined. For example, one ratio may be ten times the ratio of the next display means of the plurality.
For example, there may be two such display means in the form of respective and concentric circles.
The display means may comprise a plurality of separately energisable light sources so that each visible display moves digitally as the value of the
input signal changes.
The visible display produced by at least one of the
display means may comprise a visible display of
constant size movable longitudinally of the display
means.
The visible display produced by at least one of the
display means may comprise a visible display
increasing in size as it moves longitudinally of the
display means.
In a more specific sense, there will be further
disclosed below an information display arrangement
comprising at least two concentrically arranged
circular arrays of display devices, each display
device being electrically energisable to produce a
respective visible display, and energising means
responsive to the magnitude of an input signal to
energise the display devices so as to energise in
predetermined order successive ones of the display
devices of one of the arrays in response to succes
sive predetermined incremental increases in the
value of the input signal and to energise successive
ones of the display devices of the other of the arrays each time the last display device of the first array has been energised.
The display devices may be respective electrically energisable light-emitting sources, for example light-emitting diodes.
The energising means may comprise means responsive to the value of the input signal to produce a train of pulses corresponding in number to the value of the input signal, means for dividing the number of pulses by a factor equal to the number of display devices in the said one array so as to produce a first output corresponding to the resultant quotient and a second output corresponding to the remainder (if any), means responsive to the first output for energising the appropriate one of the display devices in the said other array corresponding to the value of the quotient and means responsive to the second output signal for energising the appropriate one of the display devices of the said one array corresponding to the value of the remainder.
The respective display means or arrays may produce displays in different colours.
The foregoing are exemplary of, and not exhaustive of, the various features of the systems now to be described in more detail.
The system to be described with reference to
Figures 1 to 4 is for displaying the value of an electrical voltage V. In this example, the voltage may be displayed in increments up to 100. Thus, for example, a voltage upto a maximum value, Vrn, of 1 volt could be displayed in steps each of 10 millivolts.
As shown in Figure 1, the display unit comprises an inner circular array or ring A of ten electrically responsive display devices Al, A2 A0 and an outer circular array or ring B of similar display devices B1, 82 80. Each display device may be an electrically energisable light-emitting device of suitable form, such as an electrically energisable lamp, a lightemitting diode or a liquid crystal device. In the display unit, each display device of the ring A represents ten units of measurement, while each display device of the ring B represents one unit of measurement. Therefore, assuming that the input voltage being measured is increasing progressively from zero, each of the display devices of the ring B would be energised in turn as the value of the input signal increased by (in this example) each 10 mV step.After ten such steps, the display device B0 would therefore be energised, and, simultaneously, the display device Al of the inner ring would be energised to indicate measurement of ten measurement units. The device Al would remain energised as the outer measurement devices B were once
more energised in turn as the input signal continued to increase, until eventually the display device A2 would be energised; and soon until the input signal
reached its maximum value Vm with devices A9 and 39 energised.
By way of example, Figure 2 shows the display
unit displaying a measurement value of 36, the
display devices A3 and B6 being shown shaded to
represent their energised information-displaying states.
The circuitry for driving the display unit of Figures 1 and 2 will now be described with reference to
Figure 3.
As shown in Figure 3, the voltage V whose value is to be displayed is fed to a converter circuit 10 on a line 12. The converter circuit 10 senses the magnitude of the voltage V and produces a train of pulses corresponding in number to the value of the voltage
V. These pulses are fed on a line 14 to a divide-by-ten divider 16, in the form of a one-out-of-ten counter.
The counter 16 has an output channel 18 containing ten lines which are energised successively in step with the input pulses on line 14. The lines of the channel 18 are connected to a ten-way latch 20 which has ten output lines 22 which are respectively connected to energise the ten display devices of the outer ring B of the display unit of Figures 1 and 2.
Each time the counter 16 has counted ten pulses, it produces a respective "carry" signal on a line 24 which is fed into a ten-stage shift register 26. The ten stages of the shift register 26 have respective output lines 28 which are respectively connected to the ten display devices of the inner ring A of the display unit of Figures 1 and 2.
The system is controlled by a control unit 30 receiving clock pulses on a line 32 from a source 34.
The control unit 30 produces periodic START signals to the converter 10 by means of a line 36 and periodic CLEAR signals to the counter 16, the latch 20, and the shift register 26 by means of a line 38.
The converter 10 produces periodic HOLD signals to the latch 20 by means of a line 40.
The operation of the circuitry of Figure 3 will now be described in detail with reference to Figure 4.
As shown in Figure 4A, the control unit 30 produces a periodic CLEAR pulse 44 which, via line 38, resets the counter 16 to zero, releases the latch 20, and clear the shift register 26. Immediately thereafter, the control unit 30 produces a START pulse 46 which activates the converter 10. The converter measures the values of the voltage V on line 12 and produces a corresponding number of pulse on lines 14, for example 36 pulses (corresponding to a value for V for 360 millivolts in this example). These pulses are counted by the counter 16 which energises its ten output lines in the channel 18 in turn as the 36 pulses are output on line 14. As each group of ten pulses is counted by the counter 16, it will produce a CARRY pulse on line 24.
Therefore, when the 36 input pulses have been counted, the first three stages of the shift register 26 will be SET and the sixth line in the channel 18 will be energised. When the counter completes its count, as shown as t1 in Figure 48, (which depends on the frequency and number of pulses produced by the converter 10), the counter produces a HOLD pulse 49 (Figure 4C) on line 40 which switches the latch 20 to hold its sixth output line 22 energised.
Therefore, the circuitry is now holding energised the first three display devices of the inner ring A of the display unit, as well as the sixth display device of the outer ring B. This is the condition shown in
Figure 2 and therefore displays the number 36, representing, in this example,360 mV.
This display is maintained for a period T (Figure 4), at the end of which the control unit 30 produces a second CLEAR pulse 44 (Figure 4A) and the procedure described above repeats - except, of course, that the voltage converter 10 now senses the new value of the voltage V and produces a fresh count in dependence on the new value of the voltage V. This new count is then displayed in the manner described.
The period T is made sufficiently short to avoid flickering of the display and, of course, to ensure that all significant changes in the value of V are registered.
In the arrangement described above, each display device of the ring A remains illuminated, once it has been illuminated, while when each display device in the ring B is illuminated, the previously illuminated device in that ring is extinguished. Therefore, the ring A provides an indication increasing stepwise in length with the value V and the array B provides an indication moving step-wise around the circular path.
Figure 5 shows modified circuitry in which each display device of the ring B remains illuminated once it has been illuminated. With this modified circuitry, therefore, both rings provide markers which increase step-wise in length around their respective circular paths as the voltage V increases in magnitude.
Items in Figure 5 corresponding to those in Figure 3 are correspondingly referenced.
In the arrangement of Figure 5, the train of pulses corresponding in number to the value of the voltage
V is fed into an additional ten-stage shift register 50 as well as into the divide-by-ten counter 16. The "carry" output line 24 of the latter feeds the shift register 26. The digit output lines 18 of the counter 16 are not used.
As before, the individual stages of the shift register 26 are connected to the ten display devices of the ring A. The ten display devices of the ring B are fed by lines 52 respectively connected to the stages of the shift register 50.
In operation, the control unit 30 initially provides a
CLEAR pulse 44 (Figure 4A) which clears the registers 26 and 50 and the counter 16, and then initiates the converter 10 with a START pulse 46 (Figure 4A).
The resultant pulses (corresponding in number to the value of V) are fed into the shift register 50 and successively switch the stages into the SET state so as successively to energise the display devices of the ring B. When the register 50 is full, it automatically resets itself by a line 54, and the process repeats.
The pulses are also fed into the counter 16 which produces a carry output in response to each tenth pulse and feeds this into the shift register 26. The stages of the latter are therefore successively switched into the SET state and successively energise the display devices of the ring A.
This process is completed at time t1 (which depends upon the frequency and number of the pulses produced by the converter 10) and the display is held forthe period T (Figure 4). At the end of the period T, the control unit 30 produces another
CLEAR pulse 44 (Figure 4A) and the process repeats.
The display arrangements described gives 1 percent resolution and can nevertheless occupy a small area (e.g. 2.5 cm in diameter). Various modifications can be made, some of which are mentioned below by way of example.
Although the display device has been illustrated as providing a 2-decade display, it will be appreciated that more decades can be displayed. For example, this can be achieved by providing a third ring of display devices outside the ring B. With such an arrangement, therefore, the outer ring could display units, the intermediate ring (corresponding to the ring B) could display tens and the inner ring (ring A) could display hundreds. Appropriate modifications would be required to the circuitry; this could be achieved, for example, by driving the display device of the third or outermost ring from an additional shift register fed by pulses from the counter 10 via a divide-by-100 divider.
In another modification, it would be possible to display three decades of information using only two circular rings, corresponding to the rings A and B.
For example, the ring B could consist of one hundred display devices instead of the ten illustrated, and each of these would be energised in response to an increase in the measured value V corresponding to one hundredth of the increase necessary to cause energisation of one of the display devices of the ring
A. In such an arrangement, it may be advantageous to group the one hundred display devices of the ring
B in tens. At any given time, ten of the display devices would be illuminated. An appropriate incremental increase in the measured value V would be arranged to energise the next display device following on from the ten already energised and at the same time the first one of the group would be de-energised. The effect would therefore be of a marker progressing around the ring B in small steps each corresponding to one hundredth of Vrn.
The display devices of the different rings may be arranged to display in different colours.
Although the display has been illustrated as being of circular format, instead the two or more arrays or rings could have different shapes. For example, they could be arranged in two straight lines alongside each other.
The display device illustrated can be used for displaying time, for example in digital watches. With such an arrangement, the inner ring A could display hours and the outer ring B the minutes. Another ring could be provided for displaying seconds.
The circuitry described above effectively samples the value of the voltage V at intervals and displays this value (in the manner described). However, other forms of circuitry are possible which continuously monitor the value of the voltage V.
Claims (13)
1. An information display arrangement, comprising a plurality of juxtaposed longitudinal display means each electrically energisable to produce a respective visible display moving longitudinally, and energising means for energising the display means in dependence on the value of an input signal so that the ratio between a predetermined incremental change in the signal and the resultant movement of the visible display is different for each of the display means and is predetermined.
2. A display arrangement according to claim 1, in which one ratio is ten times the ratio of the next display means of the plurality.
3. A display arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, in which there are two such display means in the form of respective straight lines, arcs, curves or concentric circles.
4. A display arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which each display means comprises a plurality of separately energisable light sources so that each visible display moves digitally as the value of the input signal changes.
5. A display arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the visible display produced by at least one of the display means comprises a visible display of constant size movable longitudinally of the display means.
6. A display arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the visible display produced by at least one of the display means comprises a visible display increasing in size as it moves longitudinally of the display means.
7. An information display arrangement, comprising at least two concentrically arranged circular arrays of display devices, each display device being electrically energisable to produce a respective visible display, and energising means responsive to the magnitude of an input signal to energise the display devices so as to energise in predetermined order successive ones of the display devices of one of the arrays in response to successive predetermined incremental increases in the value of the input signal and to energise successive ones of the display devices of the other of the arrays each time the last display device of the first array has been energised.
8. An information display arrangement according to claim 7, in which the display devices are respective electrically energisable light-emitting sources.
9. An information display arrangement according to claim 8, in which the light transmitting sources are light-emitting diodes.
10. An information display arrangement according to any one of claims 7 to 9, in which the energising means comprises means responsive to the value of the input signal to produce a train of pulses corresponding in number to the value of the input signal, means for dividing the number of pulses by a factor equal to the number of display devices in the said one array so as to produce a first output corresponding to the resultant quotient and a second output corresponding to the remainder (if any), means responsive to the first output for energising the appropriate one of the display devices in the said other array corresponding to the value of the quotient and means responsive to the second output signal for energising the appropriate one of the display devices of the said one array corresponding to the value of the remainder.
11. A display arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the respective display means or arrays produce displays in different colours.
12. An information display arrangement substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
13. An information display arrangement substantially as described with reference to all the
Figures of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7913321A GB2046976A (en) | 1979-04-17 | 1979-04-17 | Improvements in and relating to information display arrangements |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7913321A GB2046976A (en) | 1979-04-17 | 1979-04-17 | Improvements in and relating to information display arrangements |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2046976A true GB2046976A (en) | 1980-11-19 |
Family
ID=10504593
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB7913321A Withdrawn GB2046976A (en) | 1979-04-17 | 1979-04-17 | Improvements in and relating to information display arrangements |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2046976A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0589356A2 (en) * | 1992-09-23 | 1994-03-30 | Becton, Dickinson and Company | Syringe pump having continuous pressure monitoring and display |
| CN112295049A (en) * | 2019-07-26 | 2021-02-02 | 深圳迈瑞科技有限公司 | Infusion pump for displaying occlusion pressure and display method |
-
1979
- 1979-04-17 GB GB7913321A patent/GB2046976A/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0589356A2 (en) * | 1992-09-23 | 1994-03-30 | Becton, Dickinson and Company | Syringe pump having continuous pressure monitoring and display |
| EP0589356A3 (en) * | 1992-09-23 | 1994-06-22 | Becton Dickinson Co | Syringe pump having continuous pressure monitoring and display |
| CN112295049A (en) * | 2019-07-26 | 2021-02-02 | 深圳迈瑞科技有限公司 | Infusion pump for displaying occlusion pressure and display method |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |