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:
Dec. 08, 2009
Filed:
Apr. 12, 2005
Jon M. Quigley, Lexington, NC (US);
Michael D. Blackard, Jamestown, NC (US);
Jon M. Quigley, Lexington, NC (US);
Michael D. Blackard, Jamestown, NC (US);
Volvo Trucks North America, Inc., Greensboro, NC (US);
Abstract
A measuring instrument for a vehicle selectively illuminates one of a plurality of scales based on a location of the instrument or includes an indicator that is selectively positioned based on the location of the instrument. The location is determined by a device, such as a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver () or similar receiver of location information, and a location indication is provided to a suitable controller that illuminates or otherwise activates the appropriate scale or that causes an actuator to position the indicator. Such a display has the advantages of eliminating the need for vehicle manufacturers to stock different instruments having different overlays, of lowering the cost of instrumentation by avoiding digital reconfigurable displays, and of overcoming the deficiencies inherent in digital reconfigurable displays. Such a display also improves vehicle safety by making instruments easier to read and reducing the operational burden on the vehicle driver.