FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle information display instrument of
two wheelers and other appliances which are directly exposed to sunlight. More
particularly, the present invention is directed to an automatic multi-color display of
the vehicle information display instrument in two wheelers to achieve a clear
visibility of the information displayed on the screen of the vehicle information
display instrument.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The statements in this section merely provide background information related
to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art(s).
Generally, the two wheelers are equipped with atleast one vehicle information
display instrument to inform the riders and the passengers about various information
and communication related to the motor vehicles. In particular, the display on the
vehicle information display instruments can visually represent vehicle data pertaining
to the operation or traffic. With the recent development of the vehicle information
display instruments, the functions of these devices are also maturing to achieve the
satisfaction of the user and the market. For instance, recent vehicle information
display instruments are also equipped with speed alarm, colored visible indicators,
and the like in addition to showing the speed of the two wheelers.
However, there are several problems associated with viewing such different
information on the two wheelers with colored digits or information displayed on the
screen of the vehicle information displayed instruments. One problem is that the two
wheelers are ridden in many diverse weather and lighting conditions including bright
sunlight and other similar conditions. Such bright sunlight makes it difficult to view
display indicators or colored digits, especially the important information that must be
visible to the riders. In other words, if the information is provided in color, the riders
require extra care and attention to read the information being displayed on the vehicle
information display instruments that may subsequently leads to loopholes in safety
and security of the riders. Recently, new conceptualized vehicle information display
instruments are using a brightness adjuster (a variable resistor) or a dimming adjuster
to adjust the magnitude of the current passing through the bulbs/LEDs so as to adjust
the brightness of the bulbs/LEDs present in the vehicle information display
instruments. However, the usage of those brightness adjusters lacks the required
results and simultaneously invites the complexity and cost also. Further, attempts to
provide color displays of the vehicle information display instruments by inserting
ordinary filters or by using dichloric polarizers also tend to reduce the brightness or
contrast of the display since such techniques reduce the light emission fi-om the
display even in the color region of interest. However, any such color displays have
been limited to the use of the same color in all portions of the display (from morning
till the end of the day) and the application of polarizers is one time, thus is again a
drawback in the two wheeler industries. Additionally, a few of the latest technologies
discloses the achievement of multi-color display of the vehicle information display
instruments by manually operating a switch assigned for changing the color of the
said vehicle information display instruments of two wheelers.
Hence, there is an urgent need of a clear and dominant viewing system for
two wheelers that allows easy viewing of colorfiil (by automatic switching the color)
display indicators on two wheelers without losing the basic requirements of
reliability, easy assembling, less cost, customers' satisfaction and the like.
BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-color display of the intelligent vehicle
information display instrument in two wheelers. The said intelligent vehicle
information display instrument is provided with an electronic structure powered by a
battery which subsequently governs an ignition switch system to provide an ignition
signal to an engine at the time of starting the engine of the two wheelers. The
intelligent vehicle information display instrument is provided with a light dependent
resistor whose resistance, after capturing the intensity of the ambient light, changes
with reference to a reference voltage of 5V supplied to a microcontroller. The
microcontroller scans, compares and converts the analog signals received from an
ignition detecting circuit and an intensity detecting circuit to digital signals readable
by the microcontroller. These signals are further reflected as pulse width modulated
signals by plurality of pulse width modulated signal generators provided with the
microcontroller. These pulse width modulation signal generators output the pulse
width modulation signal, in terms of refined duty cycle for each required color,
through a special programming unit inbuilt in the microcontroller to the subsequent
LED driving circuits (transistors). The programming may be adjusted according to
the need of the manufacturer or customers. In an embodiment of the present subject
matter, each of the LED driving circuits (transistors) comprises of a transistor switch
which when get closed transmits the generated pulse width modulation signals to the
corresponding LED provided with a negative liquid crystal display (LCD) for
illuminating the vehicle information display instrument.
An object of the present invention is to provide the two wheelers vnth a LDR
based intelligent vehicle information display instrument structured with an electronic
circuit.
An object of the present invention is to enable the vehicle information display
instrument to be battery powered.
An object of the present invention is to supply the standard voltage of 5V
from an ignition switch system to an engine at the time of starting the engine of the
two wheelers.
An object of the present invention is to provide the elecfronic circuit with an
ignition detecting circuit and an intensity detection circuit.
An object of the present invention is to enable the microcontroller with atleast
two analog to digital converters.
An object of the present invention is to provide the microcontroller with
plurality of pulse width modulated signal generators to refine the signals according to
color's duty cycle.
An object of the present invention is to provide the microcontroller with
programmable pulse generator (PPG).
An object of the present invention is to provide the electronic structure LED
driver circuits which acts as transistor switches for supplying the signals for required
color to the respective LEDs.
An object of the present invention is to position the LEDs at the back of a
negative LCD for illumination.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The summary narrated above and the following detailed description of the
invention can be imderstood with the drawings appended to this claim. The
illustrations provide the details of the invention. However, it should be understood
that the invention is not limited to the arrangements shown, hi the drawings:
FIG. 1 shows perspective views of the two wheelers in an embodiment of the present
subject matter.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an LDR based intelligent vehicle information
display apparatus (speedometer) in an embodiment of the present subject matter.
FIG. 3 shows an electric circuit structure governing LDR based intelligent vehicle
information display apparatus in an embodiment of the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The embodiments of the present subject matter are described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present subject matter is not
limited to these embodiments which are only provided to explain more clearly the
present subject matter to the ordinarily skilled in the art of the present disclosure. In
the accompanying drawings, like reference alphabets and numerals are used to
indicate like components.
The present invention relates to an automatic multi-color vehicle information
display instrument in two wheelers. The following description is merely exemplary in
nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. The
present invention will hereinafter be described in detail below as applied to a motor
cycle 200. However, the principles of the present invention are also applicable to
other powered two wheeler vehicles 200. Leftward and rightward directions (see the
leftward and rightward directions indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1) will be described
with respect to directions as viewed by the rider seated on the motorcycle 200.
FIG. 1 illustrates a two wheeler 200 that may include a fiiel tank and an
engine mounted ahead of a rider's seat on a frame and two relatively large sized
wheels on which the fi-ame rides. The structure is necessarily provided with a pair of
left and right front fork members rotatably supported by a head pipe on the front end
of the vehicle frame. The steering of the two wheelers is possible via a front wheel
which is mounted on the front fork member whereas the rear wheel (drive wheel) is at
the rear end. FIG. 1 shows a handlebar 106 secured to an upper portion of the front
fork member, and the front and rear portion of the handle bar 106 is covered with a
handle cover which is fiirther divided into forward and backward portions. The two
wheeler 200 is fiirther provided with the intelligent vehicle information display
instrument (as shown in FIG. 2) (also known as a speedometer) located between the
handle bars 106 of the two wheeler 200. The vehicle information display instrument
300 may be viewable by the rider of the motor cycle 200 when the rider is seated in
the seat and operating the vehicle 200. The vehicle information display instrument
300 may be disposed generally in front of the rider so that the rider can inspect or
view a variety of information that form part of the vehicle information display
instrument 300, which information may indicate an operating condition or conditions
of the vehicle. The vehicle information display instrument 300 may be provided with
audio/visual warning indicators comprising information such as speed, the fuel level,
telephone, bluetooth, rpm of the engine, tell tale symbols, turn signal indicator,
hazard warning indicator and / or other indicators.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the present invention
discloses an electric circuit structure that governs the said intelligent vehicle
information display instrument 300. In a preferred embodiment of the present subject
matter, the two wheeler 200 is provided with an engine moimted to a vehicle body
frame of the two wheeler 200. The engine is powered by a battery (not shown) for
supplying energy to said motor cycle 200. The motor cycle 200 is further provided
with an electrical ignition switch system 314 that provides an ignition signal to the
engine at the time of starting the engine of the motor cycle 200. FIG. 3 shows an
electric circuit in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present subject
matter.
FIG. 3 explains that the electric circuit structure is also provided with a
microcontroller 302, within the vehicle information display instrument 300, that
receives a voltage of 5 V from the battery once the engine is powered on, in an
embodiment of the present subject matter. The vehicle information display instrument
300 is equipped with a light dependent resistor 304 (or photo resistor), hereinafter
may be referred as LDR, which is a light-controlled variable resistor. The resistance
of these light dependent resistors 304 decrease with increasing incident light
intensity; in other words, it exhibits photoconductivity. The light dependent resistors
304, as shown in FIG. 3, is connected to plurality of resistors and capacitors (in series
and parallel connections as required) to form an ignition detecting circuit 306 and an
intensity detection circuit 308. The resistance range and sensitivity of the light
dependent resistors 304 can substantially differ among dissimilar devices. However,
in an embodiment of the present subject matter, the resistance of the light dependent
resistor 304, however not restricted to, may ranges between 30 ohms to 1 mega ohm.
FIG. 3 further demonsfrates the microcontroller 302 that include analog to digital
converters 310, hereinafter may be referred as A to D converter, which convert the
output voltage, received fi-om the ignition detecting circuit 306 and the intensity
detection circuit 308, to the binary code(s) identified by the microcontroller 302.
These binary codes are compared with a reference voltage code at each fluctuating
level and subsequently supplied as ou^ut (in terms of binary codes) to the forward
circuit. The microcontroller 302 is provided with atleast three pulse width modulation
(hereinafter may be referred as PWM) signal generators to govern the permutations
and combinations of various colors generated of the primary colors i.e. red, green and
blue, in an embodiment of the present subject matter. These pulse width modulation
signal generators output the pulse width modulation signal, in terms of refined duty
cycle (as defined later) for each required color, through a special programming unit
inbuilt in the microcontroller 302 to the subsequent LED driving circuits (transistors)
312. The programming may be adjusted according to the need of the manufacturer or
customers. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, each of the LED driving
circuits 312 (transistors) comprises of a transistor switch which when get closed
transmits the generated pulse width modulation signals to the corresponding LED
provided at the back of a negative liquid crystal display (LCD) for illuminating the
vehicle information display instrument 300.
Generally, a duty cycle (D) is defined as the ratio between the pulse duration
(T) and the period (P) of a rectangular waveform. In other words, a duty cycle is the
percentage of one period in which the signal is active. As a formula, a duty cycle may
be expressed as:
D = ^ X 100%
For instance, a 60% duty cycle means the signal is on 60% of the time but off 40% of
the time. The "on time" for a 60% duty cycle could be a flection of a second, a day,
or even a week, depending on the length of the period.
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Operationally, the motor cycle 200 gets powered from the battery when
started and the same battery supplies a standard voltage of 5 V to the microcontroller
302 also. The microcontroller 302 intelligently receives the analog signals generated
from the ignition detecting circuit 306 and the intensity detecting circuit 308 with the
input of changed resistance of the light dependent resistors 304. Further, the
microconfroUer 302 converts the analog signals to readable digital signals (binary
codes) which are compared with the reference voltage code after each fluctuating
level to result in pulse width modulated generated signals generated by pulse width
modulators provided with the microconfroUer 302. In an embodiment of the present
subject matter, the programmable width modulation generator may be replaced with
programmable pulse generator (PPG). The pulse width generators refine the
generated pulse width modulated signals according to the duty cycles of the required
color or a combination of colors. These refined signals are then transmitted to the
respective LEDs, via plurality of LED driver circuits 312 acting as transistor
switches, wherein the respective LEDs glow (as per duty cycle of the respective
selected color) when the circuits get completed on receiving the continuous power
from electrical ignition switch 314. These LEDs are predominantly visible on the
negative liquid crystal display (LCD) provided with the vehicle information display
device 300 of the motor cycle 200.
For instance, if we need to glow the LED with blue color, we are required to
send a standard voltage of 5V cross the pulse width modulation port, say PWMl
(similarly suppose PWM2 for red color and PWM3 for green color). The port PWMl,
on receiving the voltage of 5 V, supplies the said voltage to the transistor switch, say
TRl (as discussed above), at a duty cycle calculated for generating the blue color in
LEDs. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the duty cycle for generating
blue color lies in the range of 100% for blue, zero percent for red and zero percent for
green. The fransistor switch, on receiving the instructions for a specific duty cycle,
supplies a required voltage of 0.7V to complete the circuit loop with diode, resistor.
and inputs from the electrical ignition switch 314. In another instance of generating a
combination of two colors (say amber color), we are required to send the standard
voltage of 5V across all the three ports i.e. PWMl, PWM2 and PWM3. These ports
supply the said voltage of 5 V to each of respective transistor switches at fixed duty
cycles required for generating the amber color in LEDs. These transistor switches, on
receiving the instructions for specific duty cycles, supply a required voltage of 0.7V
to complete the circuit loop with diode, resistor, and inputs from the ignition switch
314, which subsequently results in glow of amber color on the LEDs visible on the
negative liquid crystal display (LCD) provided with the vehicle information display
device 300 of the motor cycle 200. In an embodiment of the present subject matter,
the duty cycle for generating amber color may vary in the range of 35% to 50% for
green and 50% to 80% for red.
The automatic multi-color vehicle information display instrument 300 in
accordance with the present subject matter facilitates the LDR 304 based colorful
display of the vehicle instrument display device 300 in an embodiment of the present
subject matter. Thus, the present invention guarantees a colorfiil vehicle instrument
display device throughout the day and night. In an embodiment of the present subject
matter, the range of color may ranges from any permutation and combination of the
primary color i.e. red, green and blue. Therefore, the number of possible color may
range upto 432 colors available from the permutations and combinations of primary
colors, as calculated below:
RED: 3 brightness rank and 2 color rank
GREEN: 2 brightness rank and 3 color rank
BLUE: 4 brightness rank and 3 color rank
Possible colors of RGB = 3 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 3 = 432 colors
This facilitates a pleasant feel for the rider at any time of his ride of the motor
cycle. Additionally, the major advantage of the present invention is the prevention of
loss of data displayed on the vehicle information display device especially during
daytime amidst peak sunlight. In other words, the color used during that period of
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peak sunlight will not only be advantageously visible to the rider but also will reduce
any possibility of loss of data displayed on the vehicle information display device.
Moreover, this intelligent vehicle information display device is less costly as
compared to the present technologies since there is no brightness adjuster, polarizers,
and the like used in the present invention. Further, the vehicle information display
device according to the present invention adds the security and safety of the rider
also. In a unique embodiment of the present subject matter, the present invention may
find its application in other appliances which are directly exposed to sunlight, such as
but not restricted to mobiles, pager, and the like.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to
the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept
thereof The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as
illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all variations,
substitutions and changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency
of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
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WE CLAIM: /„.i i.L v..; ••-'' „„,,
1. An automatic multi colour display in a vehicle information display instmment
300 in two wheelers 200 comprising:
an electrical ignition switch 314 for supplying a required voltage to a
microcontroller 302 via an ignition detecting circuit 306;
a light dependent resistor 304 for capturing the intensity of ambient light to
subsequently supply the captured intensity to the microcontroller 302 via an
intensity detecting circuit 308;
atleast two analog to digital converters 310 for converting the respective
voltage received from the ignition detecting circuit 306 and the intensity
detecting circuit 308 to binary codes identified by the microcontroller 302;
atleast three pulse width modulation generators for generating required pulse
width modulated signals in terms of duty cycle of atleast one of the primary
colours (RGB) to be generated;
atleast three RGB LED driving circuits 312 acting as transistor switch to
actuate the corresponding RGB LED(s) for respective colour for illumination
on a negative LCD provided with the vehicle information display instrument
300.
2. The automatic multi colour display in the vehicle information display
instrument 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ignition detecting circuit
306 and the intensity detecting circuit 308 comprises of plurality of resistors
and capacitors connected to the light dependent resistors 304.
3. The automatic multi colour display in the vehicle information display
instrument 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistance of the light
dependent resistor 304 may vary according to the device connected with the
light dependent resistor 304.
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4. The automatic multi colour display in the vehicle information display
instrument 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duty cycle of each required
colour is adjusted according to the requirement of any specific colour or its.
combination with other colours.
5. The automatic multi colour display in the vehicle information display
instrument 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duty cycle for generating
blue color lies in the range of 100% for blue, zero percent for red and zero
percent for green.
6. The automatic multi colour display in the vehicle information display
instrument 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duty cycle for generating
amber color lies in the range 35% to 50% for green and 50% to 80% for red.
7. The automatic multi colour display in the vehicle information display
instrument 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the binary codes are compared
with a reference voltage code at each fluctuating level to result in pulse width
modulated generated signals generated by pulse width modulators provided
with the microcontroller 302.
8. The automatic multi colour display in the vehicle information display
instrument 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programming may be
adjusted according to the need of the manufacturer or customers.
9. The automatic multi colour display in the vehicle information display
instrument 300 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the glowing LED colour is
visible on the negative liquid crystal display (LCD) provided with the vehicle
information display device 300 of the motor cycle 200.
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