US 4,200,896 AGranted

Method and system for controlling a multi-segment indicator to furnish an analogue display indicating only the relationship of the measured value to a desired value or range of values

AssigneeMettler Instrument AG

InventorArthur Baumann

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Abstract

The multi-segment indicator can be selectively switched to operate as a range display. For this purpose, the vertical segments are deactivated. Each digit in the multi-segment indicator has a top, bottom and middle horizontal segment. If the measured value is, respectively, less than equal to or greater than a desired value, all bottom, middle, and top segments, respectively are activated. Alternatively, all middle segments are activated if the measured value is within a desired range, the top and bottom segments being activated if the measured value is, respectively, greater than the upper limit of the range or less than the lower limit of the range. The sign of the measured, desired, and limiting values is considered before activation of the corresponding horizontal segments.

Claims20

Dependent claims

In a measuring system having display means for furnishing a digital display of the measured value, said display means having a set of horizontal segments including a first and second subset forming, respectively, a first and second horizontal line of said digital display, and a set of vertical segments including a first and second subset respectively forming a first and second vertical line in said digital display;

apparatus for operating said display means to furnish a display indicative of the relationship of said measured value to a desired value, said apparatus comprising input means for inputting said desired value to said system;
means connected to said input means for comparing said measured value to said desired value and furnishing a first or second comparator output signal when said measured value has a first or second predetermined relationship to said desired value, respectively;
means for temporarily deactivating a selected one of said segment sets and
for activating said first or said second subset of said remaining one of said sets in response to said first or second comparator output signal, respectively.

1 more element

a method for operating said system to indicate only the relationship of said measured value to a desired value, comprising the steps of
temporarily deactivating a selected one of said sets;
comparing said measured value to said desired value and furnishing a first or second comparator output signal when said measured value has a first or second predetermined relationship to said desired value, respectively;
and activating said first or said second subset of the remaining set in response to said first and second comparator output signal, respectively, whereby a line in a predetermined position in said display is indicative of a predetermined relationship of said measured to said desired value.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.