Continuously Variable Color Display Device

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to variable color display devices in which color of the display may be controlled substantially continuously.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A display device that can change color and selectively display characters is described in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,514, entitled Variable Color Display Device and issued on Apr. 25, 1978. This display device includes display areas arranged in a suitable font, such as well known 7-segment font, which may be selectively energized in groups to display all known characters. Each display area includes three light emitting diodes for emitting light signals of respectively different primary colors, which are blended within the display area to form a composite light signal. The color of the composite light signal can be controlled by selectively varying the portions of the primary light signals.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a variable color display device in which the color of the display may be controlled substantially continuously.

In summary, each display area of a variable color display device of the invention includes at least two light sources for emitting upon activation light signals of respectively different primary colors which are combined therein to obtain a composite light signal of a composite color. At least a first and second primary color buses are provided to which the light sources in the display areas for emitting light signals of a first and second primary colors are respectively commonly coupled. Data representing colors of the display areas are stored at assigned locations in a memory. Color control circuits repeatedly activate the primary color buses for selective time periods, in accordance with data stored in the memory, to illuminate the display areas in a desired color.

In the drawings in which are shown several possible embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is an enlarged detail of one digit of 2-primary color digital display.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one display segment in FIG. 1, taken along the line A--A.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of one digit of 3-primary color digital display.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one display segment in FIG. 3, taken along the line A--A.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of one digit of 2-primary color control circuit of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of one digit of 3-primary color control circuit of this invention.

FIG. 7 is an expanded block diagram of a continuously variable color display system utilizing two primary colors.

FIG. 8 is an expanded block diagram of a continuously variable color display system utilizing three primary colors.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a memory and color converter combination of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a timing diagram of the circuit shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a memory and color converter combination of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a timing diagram of the circuit shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a continuation of the timing diagram of FIG. 12.

Throughout the drawings, like characters indicate like parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawings, in FIG. 1 is shown a 2-primary color display element including seven elongated display segments a, b, c, d, e, f, g, arranged in a conventional pattern, which may be selectively energized in different combinations to display desired digits. Each display segment includes a pair of LEDs (light emitting diodes): a red LED 2 and green LED 3, which are closely adjacent such that the light signals emitted therefrom are substantially superimposed upon each other to mix the colors. To facilitate the illustration, the LEDs are designated by segment symbols, e.g., the red LED in the segment a is designated as 2a, etc.

In FIG. 2, red LED 2e and green LED 3e are placed on the base of the segment body 15a which is filled with transparent light scattering material 16. When forwardly biased, the LEDs 2e and 3e emit light signals of red and green colors, respectively, which are scattered within the transparent material 16, thereby blending the red and green light signals into a composite light signal that emerges at the upper surface of the segment body 15a. The color of the composite light signal may be controlled by varying portions of the red and green light signals. In FIG. 3, each display segment of the 3-primary color display element includes a triad of LEDs: a red LED 2, green LED 3, and blue LED 4, which are closely adjacent such that the light signals emitted therefrom are substantially superimposed upon one another to mix the colors.

In FIG. 4, red LED 2e, green LED 3e and blue LED 4e are placed on the base of the segment body 15b which is filled with transparent light scattering material 16. Red LEDs are typically manufactured by diffusing a p-n junction into a GaAsP epitaxial layer on a GaAs substrate; green LEDs typically use a GaP epitaxial layer on a GaP substrate; blue LEDs are typically made from SiC material.

When forwardly biased, the LEDs 2e, 3e, and 4e emit light signals of red, green, and blue colors, respectively, which are scattered within the transparent material 16, thereby blending the red, green, and blue light signals into a composite light signal that emerges at the upper surface of the segment body 15b. The color of the composite light signal may be controlled by varying portions of the red, green, and blue light signals. In FIG. 5 is shown a schematic diagram of a one-character 2-primary color common cathodes 7-segment display element which can selectively display various digital fonts in different colors. The anodes of all red and green LED pairs are interconnected in each display segment and are electrically connected to respective outputs of a commercially well known common-cathode 7-segment decoder driver 23. The cathodes of all red LEDs 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, and 2i are interconnected to a common electric path referred to as a red bus 5. The cathodes of all green LEDs 3 a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, and 3i are interconnected to a like common electric path referred to as a green bus 6.

The red bus 5 is connected to the output of a tri-state inverting buffer 63a, capable of sinking sufficient current to forwardly bias all red LEDs in the display. The green bus 6 is connected to the output of a like buffer 63b. The two buffers 63a, 63b can be simultaneously enabled by applying a low logic level signal to the input of the inverter 64a, and disabled by applying a high logic level signal thereto. When the buffers 63a, 63b are enabled, the conditions of the red and green buses can be selectively controlled by applying suitable logic control signals to the bus control inputs RB (red bus) and GB (green bus), to illuminate the display in a selected color. When the buffers 63a, 63b are disabled, both red and green buses are effectively disconnected, and the display is completely extinguished. In FIG. 6 is shown a schematic diagram of a one-character 3-primary color common anodes 7-segment display element which can selectively display digital fonts in different colors. The cathodes of all red, green, and blue LED triads in each display segment are interconnected and electrically connected to respective outputs of a commercially well known common anode 7-segment decoder driver 24. The anodes of all red LEDs 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g are interconnected to form a common electric path referred to as a red bus 5. The anodes of all green LEDs 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g are interconnected to form a like common electric path referred to as a green bus 6. The anodes of all blue LEDs 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g are interconnected to form a like common electric path referred to as a blue bus 7. The red bus 5 is connected to the output of a non-inverting tri-state buffer 62a, capable of sourcing sufficient current to illuminate all red LEDs in the display. The green bus 6 is connected to the output of a like buffer 62b. The blue bus 7 is connected to the output of a like buffer 62c. The three buffers 62a, 62b, 62c can be simultaneously enabled, by applying a low logic level signal to the input of the inverter 64b, and disabled by applying a high logic level signal therein. When the buffers 62a, 62b, 62c are enabled, the conditions of the red, green, and blue buses can be selectively controlled by applying suitable logic signals to the bus control inputs RB (red bus), GB (green bus), and BB (blue bus), to illuminate the display in a selected color. When the buffers 62a, 62b, 62c are disabled, all three buses are effectively disconnected, and the display is completely extinguished.

It would be obvious to provide current limiting resistors to constrain current through the LEDs (not shown).

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of 2-LED continuously variable color display system which includes a memory 76, having a plurality of addressable locations which contain data indicating the portions of red color, and 2-LED color converter circuit 57 for controlling the red bus 5 and green bus 6 of the 2-LED variable color display 42. Means may be provided for selectively addressing the memory locations to extract data therefrom.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of 3-LED continuously variable color display system which differs from the like system shown in FIG. 7 in that a 3-LED color converter circuit 58 is utilized to control the red bus 5, green bus 6, and blue bus 7 of the 3-LED variable color display 43. The display system also includes a memory 76a, which contains data indicating the portions of red color, a memory 76b, which contains data indicating the portions of green color, and a memory 76c, which contains data indicating the portions of blue color. The output data of the memory 76a are applied to the red color converter 59a which will develop control signals for the red bus 5 of the variable color display 43. The output data of the memory 76b are applied to the green color converter 59b which will develop control signals for the green bus 6 of the display 43. The output data of the memory 76c are applied to the blue color converter 59c which will develop control signals for the blue bus 7 of the display 43.

The description of the schematic diagram in FIG. 9 should be considered together with its accompanying timing diagram shown in FIG. 10. A clock signal 99b of a suitable frequency (e.g., 10 kHz), to provide a flicker-free display, is applied to the Clock Pulse inputs CP of the 8-bit binary counters 71e, 71f to step same down. At the end of each counter cycle, which takes 256 clock cycles to complete, the Terminal Count output TC of the counter 71e will drop to a low logic level for one clock cycle, to indicate that the lowest count was reached. The negative pulse 99c at the TC output of the counter 71e, which is connected to the Parallel Load input PL of the counter 71f, will cause the instant data at the outputs of the memory 76 to be loaded into the counter 71f. The data at the memory represent the portion of red color; the portion of green color is complementary. The rising edge of the TC pulse 99c triggers the flip-flop 73 into its set condition wherein its output Q rises to a high logic level.

The counter 71f will count down, from the loaded value, until it reaches zero count, at which moment its TC output drops to a low logic level. The negative pulse at the TC output of the counter 71f, which is connected to the Clear Direct input CD of the flip-flop 73, causes the latter to be reset and to remain in its reset condition until it is set again at the beginning of the next 256-count cycle. It is thus obvious that the Q output of the flip-flop 73 will be at a high logic level for a period of time proportional to the data initially loaded into the counter 71f. The complementary output Q will be at a high logic level for a complementary period of time.

The Q and Q outputs of the flip-flop 73 are connected to the red bus 5 and green bus 6, repeatedly, via suitable buffers 63a, 63b, shown in detail in FIG. 5, to energize the buses for variable time periods, depending on the data stored in the memory 76.

By referring again to FIG. 5, when the red bus is energized, by raising its input RB to a high logic level, any digit between 0 and 9 may be selectively displayed in red color by applying appropriate BCD code to the inputs A0, A1, A2, A3 of the common cathode 7-segment decoder driver 23. By way of an example, to display decimal number `7`, a BCD code 0111 is applied to the inputs A0, A1, A2, A3. The decoder develops high voltage levels at its outputs a, b, c, to illuminate equally designated segments, and low voltage levels at all remaining outputs, to extinguish all remaining segments. The current flows from the output a of the decoder 23, via red LED 2a and red bus 5, to the current sinking output of the buffer 63a. Similarly, the current flows from the output b of the decoder 23, via red LED 2b and red bus 5, to the output of the buffer 63a. The current flows from the output c of the decoder 23, via red LED 2c and red bus 5, to the output of the buffer 63a. As a result, the segments a, b, c illuminate in red color, thereby causing a visual impression of a character `7`.

To display a number `7` in green color, the green bus must be energized by raising its input GB to a high logic level. The current flows from the output a of the decoder 23, via green LED 3a and green bus 6, to the current sinking output of the buffer 63b. Similarly, the current flows from the output b of the decoder 23, via green LED 3b and green bus 6, to the output of the buffer 63b. The current flows from the output c of the decoder 23, via green LED 3c and green bus 6, to the output of the buffer 63b. As a result, the segments a, b, c illuminate in green color.

By referring now, more particularly, to the timing diagram shown in FIG. 10, in which the waveforms are compressed to facilitate the illustration, the EXAMPLE 1 considers memory data `FD`, in a standard hexadecimal notation, to generate light of substantially red color. At the beginning of the counter cycle, the pulse 99c loads the data `FD` into the counter 71f. Simultaneously, the flip-flop 73 is set by the rising edge of the pulse 99c. The counter 71f will be thereafter stepped down, by clock pulses 99b, until it reaches zero count, 2 clock cycles before the end of the counter cycle. At that instant a short negative pulse 99d will be produced at its output TC to reset the flip-flop 73, which will remain reset for 2 clock cycles and will be set again by the pulse 99c at the beginning of the next counter cycle, which will repeat the process. It is readily apparent that the flip-flop 73 was set for 254 clock cycles, or about 99% of the time, and reset for 2 clock cycles, or about 1% of the time. Accordingly, the red bus 5 of the display 42 will be energized for about 99% of the time, and the green bus 6 will be energized for the remaining about 1% of the time. As a result, the display 42 will illuminate in substantially red color.

The EXAMPLE 2 considers memory data `02` (HEX) to generate light of substantially green color. At the beginning of the counter cycle, the data `02` are loaded into the counter 71f, and, simultaneously, the flip-flop 73 is set. The counter 71f will count down and will reach zero count after 2 clock cycles. At that instant it will produce at its output TC a negative pulse 99e to reset the flip-flop 73. It is readily apparent that the flip-flop 73 was set for 2 clock cycles, or about 1% of the time, and reset for 254 clock cycles, or about 99% of the time. Accordingly, the red bus 5 of the display 42 will be energized for about 1% of the time, and the green bus 6 will be energized for the remaining about 99% of the time. As a result, the display 42 will illuminate in substantially green color.

The EXAMPLE 3 considers memory data `80` (HEX) to generate light of substantially yellow color. At the beginning of the counter cycle, the data `80` are loaded into the counter 71f, and, simultaneously, the flip-flop 73 is set. The counter 71f will count down and will reach zero count after 128 clock cycles. At that instant it will produce at its output TC a negative pulse 99f to reset the flip-flop 73. It is readily apparent that the flip-flop 73 was set for 128 clock cycles, or about 50% of the time, and reset for 128 clock cycles, or about 50% of the time. Accordingly, the red bus 5 of the display 42 will be energized for about 50% of the time, and the green bus 6 will be energized for the remaining about 50% of the time. As a result of blending substantially equal portions of red and green colors, the display 42 will illuminate in substantially yellow color. The description of the schematic diagram of a 3-LED color converter in FIG. 11 should be taken together with its accompanying timing diagrams shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. A clock signal 99b is applied to the CP inputs of the counters 71d, 71a, 71b, 71c, to step same down. Every 256 counts a negative pulse 99c is generated at the TC output of the counter 71d, to load data into the counters 71a, 71b, 71c from respective memories 76a, 76b, 76c and to set the flip-flops 73a, 73b, 73c. The data in the red memory 76a represent the portions of red color, the data in the green memory 76b represent the portions of green color, and the data in the blue memory 76c represent the portions of blue color to be blended.

The counters 71a, 71b, 71c will count down, from the respective loaded values, until zero counts are reached. When the respective values of the loaded data are different, the length of time of the count-down will be different for each counter. When a particular counter reaches zero count, its TC output momentarily drops to a low logic level, to reset its associated flip-flop (the red counter 71a resets its red flip-flop 73a, etc.). Eventually, all three flip-flops 73a, 73b, 73c will be reset. The Q outputs of the flip-flops 73a, 73b, 73c are connected to the red bus 5, green bus 6, and blue bus 7, respectively, via suitable buffers 62a, 62b, 62c, as shown in FIG. 6, to energize the buses for variable periods of time.

By referring again to FIG. 5, when the red bus is energized, by raising its input RB to a high logic level, any digit between 0 and 9 may be selectively displayed in red color by applying appropriate BCD code to the inputs A0, A1, A2, A3 of the common anode 7-segment decoder driver 24. By way of an example, to display decimal number `1`, a BCD code 0001 is applied to the inputs A0, A1, A2, A3. The decoder develops low logic levels at its outputs b, c, to illuminate equally designated segments, and high logic levels at all remaining outputs, to extinguish all remaining segments. The current flows from the output of the buffer 62a, via red bus 5 and red LED 2b, to the output b of the decoder 24, and, via red LED 2c, to the output c of the decoder 24. As a result, the segments b, c illuminate in red color, thereby causing a visual impression of a character `1`.

To display a number `1` in green color, the green bus must be energized by raising its input GB to a high logic level. The current flows from the output of the buffer 62b, via green bus 6 and green LED 3b, to the output b of the decoder 24, and, via green LED 3c, to the output c of the decoder 24. As a result, the segments b, c illuminate in green color.

To display a number `1` in blue color, the blue bus must be energized by raising its input BB to a high logic level. The current flows from the output of the buffer 62c, via blue bus 7 and blue LED 4b, to the output b of the decoder 24, and, via blue LED 4c, to the output c of the decoder 24. As a result, the segments b, c illuminate in blue color.

To display characters in a composite color, the red, green, and blue buses may be repeatedly energized for selective time periods, at a relatively fast rate, as will be more fully explained subsequently.

By referring now more particularly to the timing diagram shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the EXAMPLE 4 considers red memory data `80`, green memory data `00`, and blue memory data `80`, all in hexadecimal notation, to generate light of substantially purple color. At the beginning of the counter cycle, the pulse 99c simultaneously loads the data `80` from the red memory 76a into the red counter 71a, data `00` from the green memory 76b into the green counter 71b, and data `80` from the blue memory 76c into the blue counter 71c. The counters 71a, 71b, 71c will be thereafter stepped down. The red counter 71a will reach its zero count after 128 clock cycles; the green counter 71b will reach its zero count immediately; the blue counter 71c will reach its zero count after 128 clock cycles.

It is readily apparent that the red flip-flop 73a was set for 128 clock cycles, or about 50% of the time, the green flip-flop 73b was never set, and the blue flip-flop 73c was set for 128 clock cycles, or about 50% of the time. Accordingly, the red bus 5 of the display 43 will be energized for about 50% of the time, green bus 6 will never be energized, and blue bus 7 will be energized for about 50% of the time. As a result of blending substantially equal portions of red and blue colors, the display 43 will illuminate in substantially purple color.

The EXAMPLE 5 considers red memory data `00`, green memory data `80`, and blue memory data `80`, to generate light of substantially blue-green color. At the beginning of the counter cycle, the data `00` are loaded into the red counter 71a, data `80` are loaded into the green counter 71b, and data `80` are loaded into the blue counter 71c. The red counter 71a will reach its zero count immediately, the green counter 71b will reach its zero count after 128 clock cycles, and so will the blue counter 71c.

The red flip-flop 73a was never set, the green flip-flop 73b was set for 128 clock cycles, or about 50% of the time, and so was the blue flip-flop 73c. Accordingly, the green bus 5 of the display 43 will be energized for about 50% of the time, and so will be the blue bus. As a result, the display 43 will illuminate in substantially blue-green color.

The EXAMPLE 6 considers red memory data `40`, green memory data `40`, and blue memory data `80`, to generate light of substantially cyan color. At the beginning of the counter cycle, the data `40` are loaded into the red counter 71a, data `40` are loaded into the green counter 71b, and data `80` are loaded into the blue counter 71c. The red counter 71a will reach its zero count after 64 clock cycles, and so will the green counter 71b. The blue counter 71c will reach its zero count after 128 clock cycles.

The red flip-flop 73a was set for 64 clock cycles, or about 25% of the time, and so was the green flip-flop 73b. The blue flip-flop 73c was set for 128 clock cycles, or about 50% of the time. Accordingly, the red bus 5 and green bus 6 of the display 43 will be energized for about 25% of the time, and the blue bus 7 will be energized for about 50% of the time. As a result of blending about 50% of blue color, 25% of red color, and 25% of green color, the display 43 will illuminate in substantially cyan color.

The EXAMPLE 7 considers red memory data `80`, green memory data `40`, and blue memory data `40`, to generate light of substantially magenta color. At the beginning of the counter cycle, the data `80` are loaded into the red counter 71a, data `40` are loaded into the green counter 71b, and data `40` are loaded into the blue counter 71c. The red counter 71a will reach its zero count after 128 clock cycles, the green counter 71b will reach its zero count after 64 clock cycles, and so will the blue counter 71c.

The red flip-flop 73a was set for 128 clock cycles, or about 50% of the time, the green flip-flop 73b and blue flip-flop 73c were set for 64 clock cycles, or about 25% of the time. Accordingly, the red bus 5 of the display 43 will be energized for about 50% of the time, green bus 6 and blue bus 7 will be energized for about 25% of the time. As a result, the display 43 will illuminate in substantially magenta color.

The data values stored in the red, green, and blue memories may be so designed that the sums of the red data, green data, and blue data are constant for all memory addresses, to provide uniform light intensities for all colors. Alternatively, data stored in the red, green, and blue memories may be modified in order to compensate for different efficiencies of red, green, and blue LEDs. By way of an example, data values for a low efficiency LED may be proportionally incremented such that time of energization is proportionally increased, to effectively provide equal luminances for LEDs of unequal efficiencies.

The invention may be now briefly summarized. A variable color display device was disclosed comprising a plurality of variable color display areas arranged in a pattern and adapted to be illuminated in groups in a selected color to selectively exhibit a plurality of display units. Each display area includes a plurality of light sources for emitting upon activation light signals of respectively different primary colors and means for combining the light signals in each display area to obtain a composite light signal of a composite color. A first primary color bus is provided to which the light sources in the display areas for emitting light signals of a first primary color are commonly coupled. At least a second primary color bus is provided to which the light sources in the display areas for emitting light signals of a second primary color are commonly coupled. Data representing portions of the primary colors are stored at assigned locations in a memory. Color control circuits repeatedly activate the primary color buses for selective time periods, in accordance with data stored in the memory, to illuminate the display areas in a desired color. The color control circuits include counters for repetitively extracting data from the memories as counting values, for decrementing the counting values, and for developing control signals when a predetermined counting value is reached. The primary color buses are activated for time periods starting when the data are extracted and ending when respective control signals occur.

All matter herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It would be obvious that numerous modifications can be made in the construction of the preferred embodiments shown herein, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It is contemplated that the principles of the invention may be also applied to numerous diverse types of display devices, such are liquid crystal, plasma devices, and the like.