Active flowchart label
OwnerStanley Miller, Steve Reinhold +1inventors
InventorsStanley Miller, Steve Reinhold, Kenneth Ainsworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An active flowchart label is provided for displaying information regarding the state of an instrument. A label is provided having transmissive regions positioned within a graphical representation of a circuit path or in relation to textual messages provided on the label. Light sources within the instrument are positioned to illuminate the transmissive regions when activated to communicate which circuit paths are active. Additional light sources within the instrument are positioned to illuminate transmissive regions associated with the textual messages to provide additional information regarding the operation of the instrument. Light channels may be provided to direct the light from the light sources to the transmissive regions.
Claims18
An apparatus for displaying the mode information of an instrument comprising:
- a flowchart graphic rendered on a panel;
- a plurality of transmissive indicator regions positioned within the flowchart graphic;
- and
- a plurality of light sources positioned within the instrument and aligned with the plurality of transmissive indicator regions.
An apparatus for displaying operating mode information for an instrument comprising:
- means for generating an optical signal corresponding to the operating mode of the instrument;
- means for communicating the optical signal to indicate the operating mode of the instrument;
- and
- means for transmitting the optical signal from the means for generating the optical signal and the means for communicating the optical signal.
A method of producing an active flowchart label comprising:
- preparing a flowchart label to communicate information related to operating modes of an instrument;
- locating indicators on the flowchart label corresponding to alternative flowchart paths;
- positioning light sources on a circuit board within the instrument aligned to the indicators on the flowchart label;
- and
- designing circuitry for the instrument by positioning the circuitry around the light sources.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.