Abstract:
A multi-color segmented LED or other light emitting arrangement display includes specially designed segments such that there are two or more rooms within one segment. When one or more LEDs or light emitting arrangements with different colors are placed in each room of a segment, the segment will generate a very special light effect—a multi-colored segment. In one aspect, it is possible to control the height of the wall between rooms such that a mixed color light effect is produced between the adjacent rooms. The multi-color segmented display can be used in a variety of applications.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to segmented light emitting diode (LED) displays wherein displayed letters, numbers, etc. are composed of illuminated segments. The illuminated segments produce a simple display that indicates the current time or other information. 
   2. Background Art 
   A typical segmented display includes a plurality of segments. The segments are controlled on an individual basis to allow selective illumination of segments on the display to provide any desired illumination pattern composed of illuminated segments. 
   In the traditional LED display, each illuminated segment is illustrated by one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) placed within the same room. In the traditional LED display, there is only one room in each segment, which means that each segment can have only one color. 
   Background information may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,870,325; 4,845,481; 5,008,595; 6,018,237; and 6,239,776. 
   For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an improved multi-color segmented display. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an improved multi-color segmented display. 
   The invention comprehends a multi-color segmented LED display. The segments of the LED display are specially designed such that there are two or more rooms within one segment. When one or more LEDs with different colors are placed in each room of a segment, the segment will generate a very special light effect—a multi-colored segment. 
   The invention, in one aspect, uses one or several walls to divide the LED segment into two or more small rooms or partitions. Each room or partition is then filled with one or more LEDs with different colors. This approach provides two or several colors within one segment. And by controlling the height of the walls, a mixed color light effect between the adjacent rooms is produced. Also, the wall can be any kind of material—for example, plastic, metal, paper, fiberglass, PCB, etc. Also, the wall can be of any shape and can be placed anywhere within the segment. Further, the LEDs can be placed anywhere within the rooms. 
   This multi-color segmented LED display can be used in a variety of applications including, for example, simple LED alarm clocks, LED alarm clock radios, LED alarm clock timers, LED alarm clocks with thermometer, humidity, etc. Other applications that could use the LED display panel to display a message include an air conditioner, evaluator, instruments, or any home appliances such as oven, coffee maker, etc. 
   It is appreciated that the display may utilize other light emitting device arrangements in combination with or in alternative to LEDs. It is further appreciated that the rooms or partitions within a segment may be arranged in a variety of ways, with one or more dividing walls. Several embodiments are contemplated. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a multi-color segmented LED display for a simple LED alarm clock made in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is one of the multi-color segmented LED display digits with the wall placed in the middle of the segment; 
       FIG. 3  is one of the multi-color segmented LED display digits with the wall placed in parallel with the segment; 
       FIG. 4  is one of the multi-color segmented LED display digits with the wall placed in a concentric arrangement with the segment; 
       FIG. 5  is one of the multi-color segmented LED display digits with two walls placed inside the segment which separate the segment into three rooms; 
       FIG. 6  is one of the multi-color segmented LED display digits with the wall placed in the middle of the segment; and 
       FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view taken along lines  7 — 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In  FIG. 1 , a multi-color segmented LED display  10  for a simple LED alarm clock includes a plurality of segments  12 . Each segment  12  is being driven by a controller on an individual basis, selective illumination of segments  12  on display  10  provides any desired illumination pattern with the illuminated segments. The controller may take any traditional or suitable form. Each segment  12  of the multi-color segmented LED display  10  includes two rooms, room  14  and room  16 . Each room includes one or more LEDs with same or different colors to illuminate that room. Room  14  and room  16  of segment  12  are arranged to have different colors when illuminated such that a third color is generated between room  14  and room  16 . Thus when illuminated, segment  12  will appear to have three different colors. 
     FIG. 2  shows one digit of the multi-color segmented LED display. A wall  22  is placed in the middle of segment  20 . Wall  22  separates the segment  20  into two rooms, room  24  and room  26 . LED  28  with different colors is placed in room  24  and room  26 . Thus when illuminated, segment  20  will appear to have three colors, the first color is from room  24 , the second color is from room  26  and the third color is the mixture of color from room  24  and room  26 , which locates just above wall  22 . Wall  22  can be of any shape and its height can be adjusted to control the width of the mixed color. When wall  22  is adjusted to a certain height, the mixed color will disappear. Thus when wall  22  is adjusted to a certain height, segment  20  will only show two colors. 
     FIG. 3  shows one digit of the multi-color segmented LED display. A wall  32  is placed in parallel with the segment  30 . Wall  32  separates the segment  30  into two rooms, room  34  and room  36 . LED  38  with different colors is placed in room  34  and room  36 . Thus when illuminated, segment  30  will appear to have three colors, the first color is from room  34 , the second color is from room  36  and the third color is the mixture of color from room  34  and room  36 , which locates just above wall  32 . Wall  32  can be of any shape and its height can be adjusted to control the width of the mixed color. When wall  32  is adjusted to a certain height, the mixed color will disappear. Thus when wall  32  is adjusted to a certain height, segment  30  will only show two colors. 
     FIG. 4  shows one digit of the multi-color segmented LED display. A wall  42  is placed concentric with the segment  40 . Wall  42  separates the segment  40  into two rooms, room  44  and room  46 . LED  48  with different colors is placed in room  44  and room  46 . Thus when illuminated, segment  40  will appear to have three colors, the first color is from room  44 , the second color is from room  46  and the third color is the mixture of color from room  44  and room  46 , which locates just above wall  42 . Wall  42  can be of any shape and its height can be adjusted to control the width of the mixed color. When wall  42  is adjusted to a certain height, the mixed color will disappear. Thus when wall  42  is adjusted to a certain height, segment  40  will only show two colors. 
     FIG. 5  shows one digit of the multi-color segmented LED display. Two walls  52  are placed inside with the segment  50 . Wall  52  separates the segment  50  into three rooms, room  54 , room  56  and room  58 . LED  59  with different colors is placed in room  54 , room  56  and room  58 . Thus when illuminated, segment  50  will appear to have five colors, the first color is from room  54 , the second color is from room  56  and the third color is from room  58 . The fourth color is the mixture of color from room  54  and room  56 , the fifth color is the mixture of color from room  56  and room  58 , which locates just above wall  52 . Wall  52  can be of any shape and its height can be adjusted to control the width of the mixed color. When wall  52  is adjusted to certain height, the mixed color will disappear. Thus when wall  52  is adjusted to a certain height, segment  50  will only show three colors. 
     FIG. 7  is the cross-sectional view of one of the segment of the multi-color segmented LED display taken along line  7 — 7  of  FIG. 6 . A light diffuser  68  is placed on top of the LED display and a printed circuit board is used to fix the LEDs  67  and connect them to the control circuitry. A wall  62  is placed in the middle of segment  60 . Wall  62  separates the segment  60  into two rooms, room  64  and room  66 . LED  67  with different colors is placed in room  64  and room  66 . Thus when illuminated, segment  60  will appear to have three colors, the first color is from room  64  (area X), the second color is from room  66  (area Y) and the third color is the mixture of color from room  64  and room  66  (area Z), which locates just above wall  62 . 
   The height of wall  62  can be adjusted to control the width of the mixed color. Increasing the height of wall  62  will decrease the width of the mixed color area Z, but the areas X and Y will increase. When wall  62  height increases to a certain level, with the wall  62  just touching the light diffuser, the mixed color area Z will disappear and the segment  60  will only show two colors. 
   While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.