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.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to a graphical display, and more specifically to a display for displaying the mode of an instrument during operation.  
         [0002]     Graphical displays been used to communicate information about the operation of industrial processes or transportation systems, such as subways and railyards. These displays systems used indicators which were wired directly to the display system. The display systems were a separate system from the actual system being monitored.  
         [0003]     When operators are using an instrument to make measurements, it is often desirable to know the present state of the instrument. It may also be desirable to observe the changing state of the instrument, for example during automated testing operations.  
         [0004]     A label with an “on/off” indication may be used to communicate whether the instrument is “on” or “off”. The “on/off” indication may be provided by an indication light attached to the front panel, for example. Additional labels, along with their respective indicators, may be used to describe the state of the instrument when more specific and detailed information is required. In the case of a measurement instrument, the number of possible modes and combinations of modes may increase the number of labels that are needed. As the number of labels increases, it may become more difficult for the operator to readily determine the operating mode of the instrument. During automated operations, the operator may have even greater difficulty understanding which sequence of modes the instrument is using.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]     Accordingly, embodiments of the present instrument label are provided with more intuitive and graphical representations to communicate the operating mode of the instrument. A flowchart graphic is rendered on a panel, and a transmissive regions are provided within the flowchart graphic. Light sources positioned within the instrument and aligned with the transmissive regions illuminate the transmissive regions to comminicate information about the operating mode, or state, of the instrument to the user.  
         [0006]     Aspects of the various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with appended claims and attached drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of an embodiment of an active flowchart label.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates a portion of an active flowchart label.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a portion of an active flowchart label.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of an instrument including the active flowchart label of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of an instrument including the active flowchart label of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 6 , illustrates a cross-sectional view of the instrument of  FIG. 2  partially disassembled. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an active flowchart label  10  has a textual label  12  stating, “Power ON,” along with an indicator  14 . In this example, textual labels are provided in a text box  16  to indicate general information applicable to the instrument. A schematic label  20  is provided along with multiple indicators. Several indicators are positioned within the circuit path illustrated by the schematic label  20  such that the indicators can identify which circuit path is operating. For example, an indicator  22 , as shown, indicates that the “LF Path” is connected. An indicator  24  may indicate that the “WB Path” is connected when it is illuminated. Similarly, indicators  32  and  34  may be used to identify which input, “H” or “V” is being used. As shown, the indicator  34  is illuminated to indicate that “V” is being used as the input. Another set of indicators  36  and  38  may then be used to determine whether the “LF Path” or the “WB Path” has been selected. As shown, the indicator  36  is illuminated to indicate that the “LF Path” is active. Further information on the mode of operation may be provided by indicators  42  and  44 . As shown, indicator  44  is illuminated indicating that that optional circuit is connected. A textual label  26  stating “Term on,” along with its corresponding indicator  28 , is provided within the area of schematic label  20  to provide additional information on the mode of operation.  
         [0014]     The active flowchart label provides an intuitive and readily understandable means for communicating the current mode of operation of the instrument to the operator. During automated testing, the changing pattern of indicators may allow the operator to follow the testing sequence and confirm that the test is running.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment using two related indicators. This embodiment may be used to indicate the intensity of the signal. A first circuit path  50  corresponds to a first signal and a second circuit path  52  corresponds to a second signal. A first indicator  54  is positioned within the first circuit path  50 , and a second indicator  56  is positioned within the second circuit path  52 . As shown, the length of the rays radiating from each indicator  54  and  56  correspond to the brightness of each signal. The brightness of each indicator corresponds to the signal intensity of each signal. For example, a dim indicator corresponds to a low signal as shown by indicator  54 , and a bright indicator corresponds to a high signal as shown by indicator  52 . The relative brightness between multiple indicators may communicate the relative signal strength between multiple signals. For example, the relative mix of two signals is indicated by the relative intensity of two indicators, as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment for communicating the intensity of the signal. A first circuit path  50  and a second circuit path  52  are shown. A first set of indicators  57  is positioned within the first circuit path  50 , and a second set of indicators  59  is positioned within the second circuit path  52 . Both the first set of indicators  57  and the second set of indicators  59  comprise multiple indicators  58 . The signal intensity can be communicated by illuminating one, or more, of the appropriate indicators  58 . The number of indicators in each set of indicators illuminated corresponds to the relative intensity of the signal. In an alternative embodiment, the number of indicators may correspond to the relative gain or attenuation level.  
         [0017]     In some embodiments of the present active flowchart label, the indicator is illuminated to indicate that the identified item is on, or that the corresponding circuit is connected. Inactivate indicators remain off. In alternative embodiments, different colors could be used to indicate different states, for example green for on and red for off. Multiple colors may also be used to indicate additional modes when the state may be more than merely on or off, for example, red for on, yellow for on plus an ancillary signal, or green for on plus the presence of a different ancillary signal. Differences in color may also be used to identify default settings versus alternative settings, such as green for a default setting and amber for an alternative setting. In other embodiments, differences in color could indicate red for poor signal, yellow for adequate signal, and green for strong signal. In this embodiment, the no signal could be indicated by leaving the indicator off. The power on indicator could use color to communicate green for electrical outlet, yellow for battery, and red for battery low.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an instrument comprising an active flowchart label  10  attached to an instrument panel  63 . As used herein, the term “instrument” refers broadly to any electrical device having multiple operating modes, including interface modules that may be connected to another instrument. In the embodiment shown, the indicators comprise transmissive regions  60  in the label  10  aligned with holes  65  in the instrument panel  63 . The transmissive regions  60  allow light to pass through to enable a user to identify which indicator is active. The transmissive regions  60  may be transparent or translucent. Translucent regions may scatter the light providing a greater viewing angle than a transparent region. The translucent regions may provide a higher perceived brightness for the user. Light sources  61  are mounted to a circuit board  67  and aligned with the position of the transmissive regions  60  to allow light from the light sources  61  to pass through the corresponding transmissive regions  60  to indicate which mode the instrument is in. As shown in the embodiment illustrated by  FIG. 4 , light channels  62  are provided between the light sources  61  and the transmissive regions  60 .  
         [0019]     In an embodiment of the present instrument, the light channels  62  comprise hollow tubes, which allow light to pass from a light source  61  to its corresponding transmissive region  60  while simultaneous reducing, or eliminating, the amount of light from adjacent light sources  61  impinging on its corresponding transmissive region  60 . In certain embodiments, the light channels  62  may be hollow, tubes, possibly formed from metal, or other opaque material. The term “tube” as used herein refers generally to an elongated, hollow object, and includes cylinders, square tubing, as well as other shapes of cross-section.  
         [0020]     In an alternative embodiment of the present instrument, the light channels  62  comprise light pipes, which are formed using a transparent material capable of transmitting light entering at their ends  64  to the transmissive regions  60 . The light pipes may be formed from any suitable transparent material, such as glass, plastic, or acrylic. In one embodiment, for example, the light pipes are cylindrical acrylic rods. Light pipes may allow more light to be directed from a light source  61  to a corresponding transmissive region  60  while reducing the amount of light from adjacent light sources.  
         [0021]     In an alternative embodiment, the light channels  62  may comprise a transparent material within an opaque tube. This may be formed by filling a metal tube with acrylic, optical epoxy, or other suitable transparent material.  
         [0022]     The light sources  61  are any light source that can be mounted within the instrument. For example, the light sources  61  may be LEDs, small light bulbs, or laser diodes. In one embodiment, the light sources  61  are surface mounted LEDs. The light sources  61  may produce a single color, such as a red LED, or multiple colors, such as multicolor LEDs.  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of the present instrument without the use of light channels  62 . To avoid having light from the light sources  61  impinging on adjacent transmissive regions  60 , the light sources may be collimated or focused. In one embodiment, a lens  76  is used. The lens  76  may be a collimating lens that directs the light from each light source  61  to its corresponding transmissive region  60 . In another embodiment, the lens is a focusing lens, which is used to focus the light from the lights sources  61  onto the corresponding transmissive regions  60  to prevent the light from impinging on adjacent transmissive regions. The lens  76  is illustrated using dashed lines, because it may be eliminated in some embodiments. The collimation can be achieved, without the use of a lens, by using light sources that are inherently collimated, such as laser diodes or LEDs without integral, diverging lenses.  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of the present instrument. An active flowchart label assembly  70  has been removed from the instrument  72 . As is clear from the figure, there are no connections between the active flowchart label assembly  70  and the instrument  72 . There is no need for an electrical connection between the active flowchart label assembly  70  and the instrument  72 . All of the electrical components remain with the instrument  72  to enable easy assembly and access to the circuit board  67  when necessary. The light sources  61  are connected on the circuit board  74 , which contains other circuitry related to the operation of the instrument, along with electrical connections for the inputs and outputs.  
         [0025]     An embodiment of the active flowchart label assembly is produced by providing holes in an instrument panel  63 , which may be made from sheet metal for example, and installing thread standoffs, not shown, through these holes. The threaded standoffs may be PEM® SOS-832-6 model standoffs, for example. A polycarbonate film, such as LEXAN® polycarbonate, with clear widow areas, and backed with adhesive transfer is used to form the active flowchart label  10 . The adhesive transfer is used to attach the active flowchart label  10  to the instrument panel  63 . Cylindrical acrylic rods are then threaded into the threaded standoffs to provide light pipes to serve as the light channels  62 . In an alternative embodiment, threaded, or unthreaded, standoffs may be used as the light channels  62 , without using light pipes.  
         [0026]     An embodiment of the present instrument is created by determining the basic dimensions of the instrument case. The active flow chart label is then designed to communicate the operation mode or other information to the user. The indicators are then positioned to actively communicate the operating mode of the instrument, along with any other information. Once the positions of the indicators on the label have been determined, the corresponding positions of the light sources on the circuit board are determined to provide proper alignment between each light source and its corresponding indicator. The remaining circuitry is then laid out on the circuit board such that it will operate as required without interfering with the placement of the light sources. The final design of the instrument including the active flowchart label and the circuit board may require an iterative design cycle, which may require repeating the basic design process described above until a final active flowchart label is achieved.  
         [0027]     It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments of this invention without departing from the underlying principles thereof. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.