Pointer Indicator Patents (Class 340/815.78)
  • Patent number: 11593859
    Abstract: A data linkage system according to one or more embodiments may make it possible to allow data dealt by one system to be dealt by another system. The data linkage system according to one or more embodiments includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a first individual specification data from the one system; and a storage unit that stores a forward conversion rule for converting data having an individual specification to data having a standard specification. The data linkage system further includes a conversion unit that converts, with reference to the forward conversion rule, the first individual specification data to standard specification data, wherein the storage unit stores the converted standard specification data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignees: KEYSOFT, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshimitsu Kagiwada
  • Patent number: 10705394
    Abstract: An assembly and method for updating a display assembly of a control panel is disclosed with optimal uniform illumination. In some instances, embodiments include efficient and cost effective methods for upgrading display assemblies without having to completely overhaul the electrical, mechanical, or wiring components already existing within the control panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: PHYSICAL OPTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew Kostrzewski, Kang Lee, Robert Waldo, Tomasz Jannson
  • Patent number: 9975476
    Abstract: An illuminated vehicle foot pedal assembly is provided that includes a foot pedal and at least one light source located on the foot pedal. The assembly further includes at least one proximate sensor disposed on the pedal for sensing an operator's foot proximate to the pedal. The at least one light source may illuminate the pedal and the foot well and may indicate a vehicle condition such as a driving mode or a warning. The sensed proximity of the foot may be used to control the lighting or a pedal adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Pietro Buttolo, Christopher Anthony Danowski, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Patent number: 9333910
    Abstract: A display element can be used to represent bars of variable length. The display instrument may have a plurality of light chambers which are disposed adjacent to one another and in each case have a light barrier to the respective adjacent light chamber. The light chambers each have an optical waveguide. The light barrier is formed from one side of the optical waveguide which is impermeable to light or only partially light-permeable. Moreover, a corresponding display instrument, vehicle and display method may use the optical waveguide and the display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Stephan Schwantner
  • Patent number: 9243906
    Abstract: A system and related method is disclosed for automated setting of a barometric altimeter onboard an aircraft. The system may receive inputs from a plurality of integrated systems and, based on those inputs, automatically set the barometric altimeter to the proper setting for safe operation of the aircraft. Recognition of a voice command from an onboard operator as well as from an offboard source, and parsing of received METAR reports coupled with positioning information may form the basis of the integrated inputs. Once the barometric altimeter is automatically set, the system notifies the crewmember of the new barometric altimeter setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Joel A. Conrad, Steven R. Miller
  • Patent number: 9146140
    Abstract: A display device, having a microcontroller, a graphics controller, and a pointer driven by a stepper motor. The graphics controller does not have an arithmetic logic unit and can be controlled by the microcontroller and by command sequences of a command sequencer contained in the graphics controller. The graphics controller has a stepper motor controller and the command sequencer has a watchdog timer. The watchdog timer is designed to monitor a connection signal between the microcontroller and the graphics controller and to start a first command sequence if the connection signal is overdue. The first command sequence is designed to use an internal cyclical signal to repeatedly start a second command sequence designed to move the stepper motor one step in the direction of a stop or a home position by the stepper motor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Braun
  • Patent number: 8793050
    Abstract: A communication system of a motor vehicle is provided. The communication system includes a vehicle operating unit, a vehicle output unit, and an interface computer. The interface computer is connected to the vehicle operating unit and the vehicle output unit. The interface computer is implemented for the purpose of connecting a mobile terminal to the vehicle operating unit and the vehicle output unit such that information from the mobile terminal is displayable on the vehicle output unit and the mobile terminal is operable via the vehicle operating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Weinmann, Jens-Peter Weiss, Thomas Stauner, Wolfram Manthey
  • Patent number: 8674848
    Abstract: A queue control system for guiding persons waiting for service by a plurality of service desks, such as check-in desks at an airport, the system comprising computer control means for controlling the system, wherein system further comprises: stripe-like or band-like lighting means arranged for each desk (Desk 1-Desk 3) provided with point-like light sources, like LEDs, coupled to a circuit board, the circuit board being adapted to provide variable lighting operations, wherein each lighting means have at least a stripe-like or band-like part (101-103) arranged in the direction of the queue; and wherein the control computer means are adapted to variably control the lighting of the stripe-like or band-like lighting means in order to guide the persons in the queues and/or entering and/or leaving the queues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: ELSI Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Richard Eggleton, Göran Sundholm
  • Publication number: 20140028461
    Abstract: A smoke detector with an easily-readable battery-life display is an apparatus that visually displays the remaining battery life for a smoke detector through an analog or digital device. The apparatus primarily includes a smoke detector, a battery power indicator, and a reference resistor. The battery power indicator is positioned on the underside of the smoke detector so that a person can look up at the smoke detector mounted on a ceiling and view the battery power indicator. The reference resistor draws a small amount of current from the battery, which allows the battery power indicator to measure the gradual reduction of voltage readings across the reference resistor and consequently determine the remaining battery life, and thus displaying the remaining battery life in the appropriate zone (red, yellow or green).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas W. NEWTON
  • Publication number: 20140002272
    Abstract: A display device, having a microcontroller, a graphics controller, and a pointer driven by a stepper motor. The graphics controller does not have an arithmetic logic unit and can be controlled by the microcontroller and by command sequences of a command sequencer contained in the graphics controller. The graphics controller has a stepper motor controller and the command sequencer has a watchdog timer. The watchdog timer is designed to monitor a connection signal between the microcontroller and the graphics controller and to start a first command sequence if the connection signal is overdue. The first command sequence is designed to use an internal cyclical signal to repeatedly start a second command sequence designed to move the stepper motor one step in the direction of a stop or a home position by means of the stepper motor controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Christian Braun
  • Patent number: 8555660
    Abstract: An operation unit for a vehicle air conditioner includes a display device, a setting input portion of a control parameter of the air conditioner other than a set temperature, an obtaining portion configured to obtain a present set value of the control parameter, and an operating state identification portion configured to identify whether an air-conditioning operating state is in a plurality of predetermined operating states of the air conditioner. In the operation unit, a moving pattern of a pointer of the display device is changed according to the operating state of the air conditioner. For example, a pointer operation control portion can be configured to control an operation of a pointer driving motor such that the pointer moves on a dial of the display device at different moving speeds according to the air-conditioning operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Takenaka, Kuniharu Kutsuna, Kazumutsu Azuma, Hiroki Iwashita, Yuji Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 8558681
    Abstract: A graphic meter display device includes a tick mark information retaining section that retains information about display coordinates of respective positions of three or more typical tick marks among tick marks, in correspondence with typical numeric values assigned to the respective positions; an indicator needle coordinate calculation section that extracts two typical numeric values adjacent, above and below, to a magnitude of the input measured value according to the input measured value as a first typical numeric value and a second typical numeric value from the positions of three or more typical tick marks and that calculates, as coordinates of an indicator needle point, an intermediate position, which lies on a line segment connecting coordinates corresponding to the first typical numeric value to coordinates corresponding to the second typical numeric value and which is determined by means of the first typical numeric value, the second typical numeric value, and the measured value; and a graphic display
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 8508365
    Abstract: An alarm color plate structure of a micro-differential pressure gauge includes a transparent casing. The transparent casing has a slot which is located corresponding to the range of movement of a pointer or a scale plate. An alarm plate is provided in the slot. The alarm plate has a plurality of areas with different colors or marks for the user to know whether the position and the value of the pointer are normal or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventor: Li-Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 8462011
    Abstract: A remote control is provided including a plurality of sensors which sense movement of the remote control, and a control unit which turns on at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors and thereby senses movement of the remote control, and determines whether to turn on or off the remaining sensors according to whether or not the at least one sensor senses movement of the remote control. Consequently, battery consumption is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun-kyu Yun
  • Patent number: 8344903
    Abstract: An instrumental device is provided which includes a variable display portion and a pointer moving around the variable display portion and achieves excellent response and resistance to vibration without complicating the shape of a member. The instrumental device has a display plate 21 having a variable display portion 21b, a pointer 23 moving around the variable display portion 21b, and pointer drive means 25, 26 provided on the back-face side of the display plate 21 for moving the pointer 23.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Ogasawara, Shuichi Nomizu, Toshiyuki Ohtake
  • Patent number: 8305205
    Abstract: A vehicle display device is arranged in a vehicle having an idling stop function that automatically stops an engine when the vehicle temporarily stops. The device includes a control unit that calculates a deviation of a current instant fuel consumption with respect to an average fuel consumption in a past predetermined period of the vehicle; and a fuelometer that indicates fuel consumption information representing whether a current driving state of the vehicle decreases the average fuel consumption. When the vehicle is in the idling stop state, the fuelometer indicates that the deviation is 0 regardless of the instant fuel consumption and the average fuel consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouji Kaneda
  • Patent number: 8294561
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dashboard indicator module comprising, in a casing, a rotary motor, an output shaft, mechanical reduction device associated with the motor, at least one electrical supply coil, electrical connection tabs linked to the coils leaving the casing and electrical contact elements, characterized in that the electrical contact elements can be fitted on the connection tabs in order to produce solderless connectors on the printed circuit or even removed from the connection tabs in order to allow the connection tabs of the motor to be soldered directly to the printed circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sonceboz Automative SA
    Inventors: Martin Strahm, Michael Geiser, Pierre Gandel, Guillaume Loussert
  • Patent number: 8274398
    Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive includes an USB interface, a control unit, a storage unit, a timer, a logic circuit, and a quartz meter that includes a scale dial and a dial pointer. The control unit calculates a storage capacity difference between a current storage capacity and a previous storage capacity, and calculates a runtime of the dial pointer according to a time calculation algorithm. The control unit generates an enabling signal if the storage capacity difference is not equal to zero, and generates an interrupt signal when the runtime equals the time value. The logic circuit outputs a high voltage to the quartz meter to control the dial pointer to run around the scale dial according to the enabling signal, and outputs a low voltage to the quartz meter to control the dial pointer to stop running around the scale dial according to the interrupt signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Le Zhang
  • Patent number: 8151726
    Abstract: The traphouse safety flag is an electromechanical safety device mounted at the roofline of a traphouse intended to replace the traditional safety cone or cloth flag that is commonly used to indicate to the shooters that the traphouse is occupied and shooting cannot commence. A “no flag” detent position energizes the normal trap shooting control mechanism while indicating to the shooters that the traphouse and personnel are secure. The safety flag obscures the entrance to the traphouse in a shooting position and if the flag is moved out of the no flag detent position for any reason, the trap shooting control mechanism is deactivated and will not accept a launch command from the shooter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Inventor: Jere L. Cossaboom
  • Patent number: 8138942
    Abstract: An annular operation unit is formed as an outer shape to cover entire outline of a surface of a case, and inputting switches and displaying unit are attached inside of an opening at the center side of the annular operation unit, allowing the annular operation unit to have a size to perform fine rotational operations in case the entire size of the remote control transmitting device is miniaturized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: SMK Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Otsuka, Ryuhei Noguchi, Noriaki Miyata
  • Patent number: 8125346
    Abstract: An analog-style gauge for displaying the value of a parameter measured or sensed by a remote sensor. The gauge comprises an actuator having a selectively rotatable shaft and a pointer fixedly attached to the actuator shaft and capable of being internally illuminated by light directed into the pointer. A light source is disposed to direct light of at least two colors into the pointer. Control circuitry is operably connected to the actuator, the light source and a remote sensor. The control circuitry rotates the actuator shaft within a range of motion in response to signals received from the remote sensor indicative of changes in the value of the sensed parameter. The control circuitry changes the color of light directed into the pointer when the pointer reaches a pre-determined point within the range of motion, whereby the internal illumination of the pointer will change color when the pointer reaches a predetermined point within the range of motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Veedims, LLC
    Inventors: Claudio R. Ballard, Jeff Seward
  • Patent number: 8120506
    Abstract: Provided is a display unit that incorporates a dial, a central display device, and an indicating needle. The indicating needle includes a substrate provided beneath the display device, a light source on a surface of an end of the substrate; and a light guide. The light guide includes a first light-guide portion extending vertically with its lower end facing the light source of the substrate, a second light-guide portion extending horizontally from the first light-guide portion, a third light-guide portion extending vertically from the second light-guide portion, and a needle portion extending horizontally such that the dial is pointed to by the end of the needle portion. The display unit may include a light-guide cover that prevents leakage of light and a regulation portion that restricts undesirable movement of a lead wire which might obstruct with rotation of the indicating needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Haruyoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 7928859
    Abstract: A display for measured quantities can include a dial plaque with at least one set of indicia spaced around the plaque to indicate the measured quantities. An optical device can be mounted on a shaft within a perimeter of the dial plaque at a location surrounded by the indicia. The optical device can redirect an incident light beam onto the area of the set of indicia. A motor can turn the shaft to rotate the optical device through three-hundred-sixty degrees about an axis of rotation centered on the shaft. Apparatus can be provided for sensing the shaft rotating angular position. A light source can project a light beam on the optical device through the axis of rotation, such that a virtual pointer is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Yazaki North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kang Li, Michael Boyd
  • Patent number: 7872569
    Abstract: A built-in instrument cluster for a motor vehicle includes at least one display device, which emits image-forming light and is arranged in the direct field of view of an observer, and at least one illuminated and/or self-illuminating electromechanical indicator device, which is arranged in the observer's field of view, at an angle to the display device, and is moved into the observer's field of view together with the display device via an optical combiner, which is arranged to reflect the image-forming light of the electromechanical indicator device. In order to be able to integrate such an instrument cluster into the tight spatial conditions in the instrument panel in the steering-column region, it is provided that the electromechanical indicator device is at least partially provided by light guides and/or light projectors to save depth at abutting vehicle components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kiesewetter, Paolo Vaz, Niclas Meyer, Gustav Hofmann, Helge Neuner, Robert Hofmann, Ralf Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20100328091
    Abstract: An instrumental device is provided which includes a variable display portion and a pointer moving around the variable display portion and achieves excellent response and resistance to vibration without complicating the shape of a member. The instrumental device has a display plate 21 having a variable display portion 21b, a pointer 23 moving around the variable display portion 21b, and pointer drive means 25, 26 provided on the back-face side of the display plate 21 for moving the pointer 23.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON SEIKI CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio Ogasawara, Shuichi Nomizu, Toshiyuki Ohtake
  • Patent number: 7772970
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle display device which can display fuel consumption information of a vehicle in a useful and optimum mode for a driver. A meter_EUC calculates an instantaneous fuel consumption of a vehicle based on a mileage and a fuel injection quantity within a set time, calculates an average fuel consumption of the vehicle based on respective cumulative values of the mileage and the fuel injection quantity repeatedly calculated for every set time, and displays the deviation of the instantaneous fuel consumption with respect to the average fuel consumption as fuel consumption information on a fuel consumption meter. The display on the fuel consumption meter is performed by swinging a pointer with respect to a neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Masuda, Kenichi Yamamoto, Kenji Hijikata, Satoshi Satomura, Hiroshi Oishi, Toyohide Sunaguchi, Yoshio Iwakami, Munenori Homma, Kouji Kaneda, Atsushi Atake, Tatsuru Fukuda, Masayuki Ushiki, Minoru Yuki, Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Masahito Motoi, Naoki Shibata, Hiroshi Ogiwara, Katsumasa Igarashi, Junzo Shinozuka, Akihisa Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7742348
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improved protection of radio frequency identification tag memory by using two or more “brownout-safe” pointer registers (instead of a single pointer register) that are logically concatenated to form a complete address for the boundary between a locked portion and an unlocked portion of the tag memory. A first pointer is a coarse pointer identifying a block of memory containing the boundary. A second pointer is a fine pointer identifying a specific location within the identified coarse block of memory. The coarse pointer may be a gray-coded or linear pointer. Similarly, the fine pointer may be a gray-coded or linear pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick Schuessler
  • Patent number: 7737842
    Abstract: A global position system device including a host and a plurality of direction indicating lights is provided. The direction indicating lights are disposed at the host, wherein each direction indicating light is represented as one direction. The host controls the direction indicating lights such that one of the direction indicating lights is bright and the others are dark. Then, users are indicated by the direction indicating lights to make a turn or keep running straightforward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: ASUSTeK COMPUTER Inc.
    Inventors: Jui-Chun Shyur, Wei-Huan Chou, Jian-Ming Peng, Kai-Chen Tien
  • Publication number: 20100084421
    Abstract: A system and method for directing a consumer through a vending machine transaction. The system and method include a UI guide comprising visual cues to direct a consumer to insert a minimum amount of money, make a production selection and confirm the product selection. The system and method provide for the consumer to cancel the transaction and request that return of inserted coins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: CRANE CO.
    Inventors: Ray Melton Lazalier, Jack Edward Anderson, Martin Shawn Egan, David Aguirre, Gerald Joseph Podgorny, Sachin Gopal Nagane, Ignacio Santa Cruz, Ronald Henry Krob, JR.
  • Patent number: 7675428
    Abstract: An indicating instrument for a vehicle may employ an analog type lighted pointer arranged on a rotatable, circular shaped pointer disk, a liquid crystal display arranged over the pointer disk, and a first dial with indicia located outboard of or adjacent to and/or inboard of the LCD. A second or inboard dial may be located over the liquid crystal display. The pointer disk may be a translucent light collector for the pointer yet also transmit light to provide backlighting for the LCD. Depending upon the analog gauge arrangement, the pointer may point outboard of the pointer disk or toward the LCD center. The dials, especially the second dial, may be in the shape of rings to permit viewing of the LCD from the perspective of a viewer, such as a vehicle driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Silviu Pala, Reben Werman
  • Publication number: 20100007509
    Abstract: Provided is a display unit that incorporates a dial, a central display device, and an indicating needle. The indicating needle includes a substrate provided beneath the display device, a light source on a surface of an end of the substrate; and a light guide. The light guide includes a first light-guide portion extending vertically with its lower end facing the light source of the substrate, a second light-guide portion extending horizontally from the first light-guide portion, a third light-guide portion extending vertically from the second light-guide portion, and a needle portion extending horizontally such that the dial is pointed to by the end of the needle portion. The display unit may include a light-guide cover that prevents leakage of light and a regulation portion that restricts undesirable movement of a lead wire which might obstruct with rotation of the indicating needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Haruyoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 7635192
    Abstract: A pointer comprises an attached portion and a main body. The attached portion is attached to an instrument. The main body is fixed to the attached portion at a basic portion thereof and extending toward a free portion thereof. The main body has a reflective surface and a foil-stamping layer. The reflective surface is formed at an inclined surface of the basic portion and inclined to a traveling direction of light entering the main body. The foil-stamping layer is formed on a bottom surface of the main body and diffusely reflects light reflected by the reflective surface. The reflective surface is curved like a collective convex lens in a transverse direction of the inclined surface and a diffusive concave lens in a vertical direction of the inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Motohiro Takatsuka, Masaaki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20080216307
    Abstract: The present invention is a kit for making an automotive gauge with personalized gauge faces that may be interchanged via an in situ removable front cover plate. The kit provides a gauge having a dust proof sealing front cover plate that may be unscrewed from the gauge body and a keyed removable indicating needle that allows a personally stylized gauge face to be installed. The face of the gauge is constructed through the use of a personal computer and printer in conjunction with a software program, provided with the kit, that allows the user to personally design the gauge face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventor: Lawrence Andrew Hoffman
  • Patent number: 7394399
    Abstract: A pointer type indicating apparatus includes dial plates each of which has an index portion for indicating operation information items of an operation object, pointers each of which is driven to point one of the operation information items, driving units for driving the pointers, and operation units, each of which is adjustable by an user to actuate the driving unit so that the pointer points preferable one of the operation information items. The operation unit has a substantial cylinder shape and is rotatable. The dial plate, the index portion and the pointer are arranged at the inner side of the operation unit. Thus, the appearance of the pointer type indicating apparatus can be simplified, and the user can be provided with an intuitionistic operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Aoki
  • Patent number: 7382237
    Abstract: A display arrangement for a vehicle has, in particular, a multipurpose instrument or is configured as a multipurpose instrument. The display arrangement includes a first display device to display information concerning operation of the vehicle, a glass with adjustable transparency arranged in front of the first display device, with reference to the viewing direction of the display arrangement, and a second display device to display information concerning operation of the vehicle or additional information concerning operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Arne Stoschek, Cedric Dupont, Pao Chen, Derek Pai, Sven Strohband
  • Publication number: 20080068203
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus that drives a lighting system with multiple lamps. A phase shift mechanism is produced either by a digital method, an analog method, or a mixture of the two methods. In a digital method, phase shifts are generated by digital circuits comprising counters, a divider, an adder, and a comparator. The digital circuits analyze the signal and use the necessary information to form a series of phased driving signals. In an analog method, phase shifts are generated by analog circuits comprising ramp waveform generators, comparators, and at least one shot generator. Also, an apparatus for driving a lighting system with multiple lamps can be realized by mixing the two methods mentioned above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Applicant: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Shwang-Shi Bai, Yu-Pei Huang, Shen-Yao Liang
  • Publication number: 20070279243
    Abstract: A needle meter includes a display device, an indication arrangement, a needle, a first illumination member, a second illumination member, a circuit board, and a movement. The first illumination member illuminates the display device. The second illumination member illuminates the indication arrangement. The circuit board is provided at an opposite side of the display device opposite the reference face of the display device. The needle includes a hub portion, an arm portion, and a pointer portion such that the needle has a generally U-shape and is integrally molded of a translucent resin. The display device, the indication arrangement, the first illumination member, and the second illumination member are integrally received and supported by a bracket to constitute a display unit. The display unit is provided between the pointer portion and the arm portion of the needle in a direction for observing the reference face of the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Araki, Ryou Suzuki, Satoru Tamura
  • Patent number: 7298311
    Abstract: A remote controller apparatus has a controller body, which is provided with annularly disposed display devices displaying as images operating buttons for the purpose of executing functions of a remotely controlled apparatus, and which is further provided with a display device at the center of the annularly disposed display devices. Operating switches are provided below each of the display devices, a transparent shuttle ring is disposed over the annularly disposed display devices, and a transparent center button is provided over the display device at the center. The shuttle ring is caused to rotate, and if necessary operating buttons displayed by each of the display devices are switched to other operating buttons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Horie, Tomokazu Kake
  • Patent number: 7196635
    Abstract: A circuit board is divided into two portions: a flexible printed circuit board; and a printed circuit board. On the flexible circuit board, movements whose layouts on the flexible circuit board are changed based on a design change in a dial plate due to a model change in a vehicle, light emitting diodes, a connector, a buzzer, and a changing-over switch are mounted. On the printed circuit board, a controller that radiates electrical noise during its operation is mounted. This enables a countermeasure for radiating of the electrical noise from the controller to be completed within the printed circuit board. This also enables a circuit design of the flexible printed circuit board to be easily performed. Man power for designing a combination meter can be thereby decreased; further, the combination meter capable of restricting generation of the electrical noise is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Sumiya, Hideyuki Nakane
  • Patent number: 7191730
    Abstract: A luminous pointer of a displaying instrument has a pointer body with a light emitting area that is divided into subsections with prisms. The subsections are illuminated at different timing. A light emitting circuit, including light emitting diodes (LEDs) for illuminating the light emitting area, and resistors and zener diodes for driving the LEDs, is arranged in a boss of the pointer body. With this configuration, an increase in weight of the pointer body, especially at a tip of the pointer body, is less likely to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Teruaki Araki, Ichiro Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7129849
    Abstract: An analog instrument gauge display is provided that comprises a lens having a pointing indicia displayed thereon, a back plate having a pattern thereon, and a drive motor coupled to the lens and configured to rotate the lens and pointing indicia relative to the pattern on the back plate in response to receipt of a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Nancy Dinh, Andrew R Krenz, Cecile M Giroux, David Bolognino
  • Patent number: 7113080
    Abstract: An indicator for a straddle type vehicle includes a dial plate and scale markings provided on the dial face. Each of the scale markings protrudes from a flat dial face of the dial plate and is provided with a slant face inclined relative to the flat dial face for reflecting external light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhito Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7113077
    Abstract: A measuring gauge includes a rotatable LED pointer having a light output. As the pointer is rotated about a lens at a constant rate, the output of the LED pointer appears as an arc of light to a user. The arc of light represents a quantity of a desired display unit. A brushless motor and a rotary transformer are magnetically coupled to the LED pointer. A high speed controller is coupled to the motor and the rotary transformer. The controller receives an indication of the quantity and is responsively programmed to actuate the rotary transformer in order to illuminate the LED pointer as it rotates radially about a face of a graduated lens at a substantially constant speed and to activate and deactivate the LED pointer so as to adjust the length of the arc of light and thereby to indicate the quantity of the desired display unit to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Autotronic Controls Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen C. Masters, Ingolf Gerber
  • Patent number: 7082890
    Abstract: An actuated gauge pointer that includes a shape memory alloy element configured to move the gauge pointer when activated is provided. The actuated gauge pointer includes a first shape memory alloy element disposed within the perimeter of the gauge pointer housing. Additionally, the actuated gauge pointer may include a second shape memory alloy element to provide temperature compensation, and a bias member to return the gauge pointer to an initial condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Alfmeier Prazision AG Baugruppen und Systemlosungen
    Inventors: Roderick MacGregor, Andrei Szilagyi
  • Patent number: 6911959
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bar indicator that minimizes the burden placed on the microcontroller. A horizontal bar indicator is generated that requires very little microcontroller firmware overhead, allowing a less powerful microcontroller to be used in the application. The reduced firmware requirement translates into smaller microcontroller firmware ROM requirements, thus enabling a lower cost system to be realized. The bar indicator uses a single byte written to a counter to represent the size of the bar. This byte written to the counter is readily available from the actual parameter value representing the size of the bar without significant additional calculation. The OSD video coming from the OSD logic is overridden with a pixel overwrite when the location of the bar indicator is located. The bar overwrites whatever is located at the position of the bar indicator. The pixel override occurs for a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Andy Morrish
  • Patent number: 6904866
    Abstract: An indicator having a character plate capable of making indicative characters emit light is provided, wherein a metal character plate 30 is provided with cut-out portions 30a being cut out along the peripheries of respective indicative characters, a back light source emits light on the back of the metal character plate 30, and a light-transmissive plate 40 are provided with projecting portions 40a to fit in cutout portions 30a of the metal character plate 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Furuya
  • Patent number: 6906634
    Abstract: A display device includes having a display unit which comprises a scale with graphic information and an indicator element which can be aligned as a function of at least one input parameter with a position of the scale. In order to ensure a better readability particularly in the case of small display devices, the display of the graphic information is changed in an area around the momentary position of the indicator element in comparison to a normal display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
    Inventors: Hermann Kuenzner, Michael Heimrath, Swantje Roessner, Volker Hellwig
  • Patent number: 6778095
    Abstract: A variable light source device useful for a pointer-type meter comprises essentially a microprocessor, a memory, a electronically controlled circuit, and a RGB luminescent light source set, characterized in that it takes advantage of an electronically controlled circuit to drive a RGB luminescent element in a manner of synchronically mixed lighting, and, by means of controlling programmatically by said microprocessor, projective light sources of different color can be changed as the pointer reaching the value set in the meter such that, by virtue of the changing projective light source, the user can notice immediately various warning signals to avoid dangerous event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Inventor: Jui-Yang Lo
  • Patent number: 6744374
    Abstract: A setting device includes a rotating actuator, a switch, an illuminated index display on which a value which is manually set at the rotating actuator is assigned to the rotating actuator and, by actuating the switch, the manual setting at the rotating actuator can be overridden. To improve the display of the setting device, a light device is provided in addition to the rotating actuator. The switch, aside from its actual switching function, is constructed for switching over between the illumination of the index display and the operation of the light device. The illumination of the index display is activated when the rotating actuator is a manual mode, and the light device is activated when a different mode is set by the actuation of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hermann Kuenzner
  • Patent number: 6741184
    Abstract: An apparatus and method sensing the absolute position of a gauge. A pointer having a predefined rotation with a circular travel pattern. At least one light emitting diode that generates an optical signal. An optical sensor placed in a fixed position along the circular travel pattern of the pointer. A pointer driver for driving the pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Miller, Raymond Lippmann, Ronald K. Selby, Gail M. Sylvester