Patent ID: 6121767
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: G01R,G09G

Abstract:
A measuring device comprising:means for measuring a signal and for developing data indicative of the measured value of the signal;measurement range means coupled to said means for measuring and including a plurality of measurement ranges;means for switching said measurement range means to a selected measurement range;a display device including a plurality of display areas arranged in a pattern for exhibiting, upon selective activation, a plurality of characters, each said display area including a first light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a first color, a second light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a second color, a third light emitting diode for emitting, when forwardly biased, light signals of a third color, said diodes being operable to provide a light signal of a composite color;a plurality of color control inputs coupled for forwardly biasing a selective combination of said first light emitting diodes, said second light emitting diodes, and said third light emitting diodes, in accordance with a color control signal applied to one of said color control inputs;means for decoding including a decoder input, for receiving said data, and a plurality of decoder outputs, coupled to said light emitting diodes in accordance with their positions in said pattern, for producing decoder output signals for providing a character indication of said data; andcolor control means, associated with said means for switching, for applying a color control signal to one of said color control inputs, in accordance with the selected measurement range, for forwardly biasing said light emitting diodes in certain ones of said display areas, in accordance with said decoder output signals, for illuminating said character indication in a composite color unique to the selected measurement range.