The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 04, 1980
Filed:
Mar. 06, 1978
Edward S Eccles, Bishops Cleeve, GB;
Harry Gibson, Bredon, GB;
Smiths Industries Limited, London, GB;
Abstract
An electrical indicator has a consecutive series of light-emitting diodes which are arranged along a straight or curved reference scale. A limited region of the series, comprising several diodes, is energized and this illuminated region is displaced along the scale upon change in an electrical input variable supplied to the indicator such that the position of the region provides an analogue indication of the value of the input variable. To improve the appearance of the display and reduce power consumption, the brightness of the region varies along its length with one or both of the outermost diodes being energized at lower levels than another of the diodes. The indicator may include a shift register having a number of storage locations, each for storing signals representative of a corresponding one of the light-emitting diodes, the signals at these locations being displaced in accordance with change in value of the input variable. Signals output from each storage location of the shift register are supplied to a gate which controls switching of a transistor that is connected in series with a resistor in the energizing circuit of each light-emitting diode. Each energizing circuit includes two such transistors and associated gates which control the degree of brightening of each light-emitting diode by switching one or more resistors in parallel in the circuit. The gates are connected to control brightening of one diode in accordance with brightening of one or more other diodes.