JPH0521286U - Electronic device knob illumination device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] This is to limit the illumination of the knobs during nighttime use by illuminating only the operating knobs of the device use setting mode so that the illumination of the knobs is not annoying to the eyes. [Structure] Illumination switch 10 provided on the panel
And a microcomputer 12 with a built-in timer that counts a preset time by turning on the illumination switch 10, and a knob illumination circuit 13 controlled by the microcomputer 12, a time-out detecting means of the timer, and an electronic device Setting mode detection means is provided, and only the operation knob in the setting mode is illuminated from the illumination state of all the knobs by detecting the time-over.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an illumination device for an operation knob of an electronic device (hereinafter, simply referred to as “device”), and more particularly to a knob illumination device for a device suitable for illuminating the operation knob when a vehicle-mounted device is used at night.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 4, the knob illumination device of the conventional device illuminates all the knobs on the panel 20 by operating the illumination knobs 21 provided on the panel 20 to turn them on. In particular, the illumination of the knob was effective in improving the operability of the knob because it was easy to confirm the name of the knob when operating the knob when using the vehicle-mounted device at night. In particular, the operation of in-vehicle equipment could greatly contribute to the safe driving of the vehicle.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the above-mentioned conventional knob illumination device for equipment has increased the number of knobs due to functional upgrades for equipment diversification, and the brightness of illumination of all knobs increases, making it easy to see when driving at night. There were some drawbacks, such as being felt and hindering driving.

When the illumination knob 21 is operated to turn it off, the illumination of all the knobs is extinguished and the equipment cannot be operated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to solve the drawbacks of the conventional example, detect the use setting mode of the device, and illuminate only the operation knob of this setting mode. The present invention is to provide a knob illumination device for electronic equipment.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of the present invention. A knob illumination device of an electronic device of the present invention is an illumination switch provided in a panel operation section, and this illumination switch. In the knob illumination device of the equipment that has an illumination means for illuminating the knob by controlling the illumination circuit of the knob by turning on, the microcomputer with a timer that counts the preset time by turning on the illumination switch. Computer (hereinafter simply referred to as "microcomputer"), the detection means for detecting the time-out of this timer, and the detection means for detecting the setting mode of the electronic device are provided, and the microcomputer illuminates the knob illumination circuit by detecting this setting mode. Control knob to illuminate only the operation knobs in the setting mode from the illumination status of all knobs. It is configured as follows.

[0007]

[Action]

 The operation of this invention will be described with reference to the functional block diagram of FIG. You can operate the illumination switches to illuminate the knobs of the multiple controllers located on the panel operation section of the device (ON operation 1 of the illumination switches). In this knob illumination device, the microcomputer controls the knob illumination circuit by the signal of the ON operation of the illumination switch, lights the lamp mounted on the back of the knob, and illuminates the letters, numbers, symbols, etc. provided on the surface of the knob. The knob display can be illuminated (all knob illumination means 2).

On the other hand, when the illumination switch is turned ON, a timer with a built-in microcomputer that counts a preset time is started (timer start 3), and the time-out of this timer is detected (time-over detection means 4). After detecting the time-over, the microcomputer detects the setting mode of the device (setting mode detection means 5), and by this detection, the microcomputer can control the knob illumination circuit to illuminate only the operation knob in the setting mode (operation knob). Only illumination means 6).

As described above, since only the operation knob necessary for operating this setting mode can be illuminated for each setting mode when the device is used, the illumination of the device is particularly strong when the in-vehicle device is used at night. You can avoid entering and secure safe driving.

[0010]

【Example】

 An embodiment of a knob illumination device for an electronic device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of hardware, FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a panel surface showing all knob illumination, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the panel surface illuminating only the knobs necessary for the operation in the setting mode.

In the figure, 10 is an illumination switch provided on the panel, 11 is a mode setting switch for setting the mode of the device, and the control data from the illumination switch 10 and the mode setting switch 11 is the microcomputer 12 Is supplied to. As is well known, the microcomputer 12 is basically composed of a CPU 12b, ROM 12c, RAM 12d, an input port 12a and an output port 12e, and a program for controlling the CPU 12b is written in the ROM 12c, and the CPU 12b follows the input port 12a according to this program. More necessary external data is taken in or data is exchanged with the RAM 12d to perform arithmetic processing, and the processed data is output from the output port 12e as necessary. Reference numeral 13 denotes a knob illumination circuit that illuminates the knob on the panel surface according to the control data from the microcomputer 12.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a device panel. Many controls necessary for the device are mounted on the panel 20, and the knobs on the panel surface shown in FIG. 4 are clearly displayed by illuminating the knob display characters. By operating the illumination knob 21 in the knob, the illumination switch 10 shown in FIG. 2 can be operated. The knobs 22, 23, 24 shown in FIG. 5 indicate the illumination of the knobs when the device is set to the cassette tape recorder operation mode, for example.

The operation of the knob illumination device of the device configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the illumination switch 10 is turned on by operating the illumination knob 21 on the panel 20 to illuminate the device knob (step S1), the timer built in the microcomputer 12 inside the device starts (step S2).

On the other hand, at the same time when the timer is started, the microcomputer 12 controls the knob illumination circuit 13 so that all the knobs of the panel 20 are illuminated by the ON data of the illumination switch 10, and the knobs of the panel 20 of the device are shown in FIG. As you can see, all knobs are illuminated (step S3) and the knob display characters are displayed.

When the timer of the microcomputer 12 detects the time-out (step S4), the microcomputer 12 detects whether the device is set to the mode set, for example, the A mode (step S5), and the device is set to the A mode. If it is set, the microcomputer 12 controls the knob illumination circuit 13 to illuminate only the operation knob required for A mode operation (step S6), and illuminates the equipment with the minimum necessary illumination to brighten the eyes of the user. You can operate the device avoiding the noisy lighting.

When the device is not set to the A mode, the microcomputer 12 detects whether the device setting mode is the B mode setting (step S7), and when the device is set to the B mode as described above. Controls the knob illumination circuit 13 to illuminate only the operation knob required for B mode operation (step S8).

In this way, the microcomputer 12 can sequentially detect the device setting mode (step S9) and illuminate only the operation knob of the device setting mode (step S10).

Now, for example, when the A mode is the reproducing mode of the cassette tape recorder, only the operation knobs necessary for reproducing the cassette tape recorder are illuminated, and as shown in FIG. 5, the PLAY knob 23 of the cassette tape recorder, Only the STOP knob 24 and EJECT knob 22 can be illuminated. By operating the knobs 22, 23 and 24, the cassette tape recorder reproduction operation can be performed. Illumination of the illumination knob 21 is performed even when only the operation knob of this setting mode is illuminated, and the illumination of the knob on the panel 20 surface can be turned ON / OFF.

Further, for example, when the B mode is the FM tuner reproduction mode, it is possible to illuminate only the FM tuning knob or the operation knob (not shown) of the graphic equalizer.

As described above, by turning on the illumination knob 21, only the operation knob in the predetermined setting mode can be automatically illuminated, and in particular, the panel 20 surface of the vehicle-mounted device at the time of night use. It is effective for safe driving by limiting the brightness of illumination.

Further, even if the display of the operation knob on the panel 20 surface is displayed by the display character provided on the panel 20 surface (not shown), the display character of only the knob necessary for the setting mode is applied by applying the present invention. Can be displayed by lighting an illumination lamp provided on the rear of the panel 20 surface.

[0022]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above, the electronic device knob illuminating device according to the present invention can illuminate only the knobs necessary for the setting mode when the device is used, so that the device operation can be sufficiently performed and unnecessary. There is no illumination, and there is an effect that safe driving can be performed without the brightness of the knob illumination being reflected in the eyes when the in-vehicle device is used at night.

Moreover, the illumination device of this knob relies heavily on the software of the built-in microcomputer, and has the advantage that the functions can be increased without increasing the cost, and it is easy to implement. have.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a knob illumination device of an electronic device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of hardware of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a panel showing an illuminated state of all knobs of the device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the panel showing an illuminated state of the operation knob set to a reproduction mode of the cassette tape recorder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Illumination switch 11 Mode setting switch 12 Microcomputer (microcomputer) 13 Control illumination circuit 20 Panel 21 Illumination control 22 Cassette cassette recorder playback mode EJECT control 23 Cassette tape recorder playback mode PLAY control 24 Cassette tape recorder playback mode STOP control

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A knob illumination device for an electronic device, comprising: an illumination switch provided on a panel operation section; and an illumination means for illuminating the knob by controlling a knob illumination circuit by turning on the illumination switch. A microcomputer having a timer for counting a preset time by turning on a switch is provided, and a detecting means for detecting a time-out of the timer and a detecting means for detecting a setting mode of an electronic device are provided. The knob illuminating device for electronic equipment is characterized in that the microcomputer controls the knob illuminating circuit according to the detection of, and the knob illuminating means illuminates only the operating knob in the setting mode from all the knob illuminating states.