Dual variable color display device

What is this patent about?

’287 is related to the field of variable color display devices, specifically those utilizing multi-color light emitting diodes (LEDs) to present digital information. The background context involves the limitations of early electronic displays, which were typically monochromatic or could only switch between colors for the entire display at once, making it difficult for users to visually segment different types of data or measurement ranges on a single interface.

The underlying idea behind ’287 is the integration of multiple primary-color light sources, such as red, green, and blue LEDs, within individual display segments to enable dynamic color blending and independent color control for side-by-side data units. By using high-frequency pulse-width modulation or logic-based switching, the invention allows a single display to exhibit distinct data sets in different colors simultaneously, providing a clear visual hierarchy and immediate recognition of status or data types.

The claims of ’287 focus on a display architecture that incorporates at least two distinct display units positioned in a side-by-side relationship within a single device housing. The hardware includes independent color control inputs for each unit, allowing a first data set to be illuminated in a first color while a second data set is illuminated in a second, different color. This mechanism is specifically designed to distinguish between different measurement quantities, ranges, or operational modes.

In practice, the invention works by routing data through a decoder to define the character shape while a separate color control circuit determines the drive time for the internal red, green, or blue emitters. For example, in a digital multimeter, the display might show a voltage reading in green to indicate a safe level, but automatically shift to red if the value exceeds a preset threshold. This is achieved through composite color blending where the human eye perceives a single mixed hue from the closely packed primary LEDs.

This approach differs from prior solutions that relied on anti-parallel LEDs or simple switches that could only display one color at a time across the entire device. By providing independent color control for adjacent digits or units, the ’287 patent enables a more sophisticated user interface where the color itself acts as a secondary data channel. The use of light-scattering material within the segment bodies ensures that the primary colors mix thoroughly, preventing the user from seeing individual LED points and instead seeing a uniform, variable hue.