Patent ID: 7928859

Claim:
A display for measured quantities comprising: a dial plaque with at least one set of indicia spaced around the plaque to indicate the measured quantities; an optical device mounted on a shaft within a perimeter of the dial plaque surrounded by the indicia, the optical device capable to redirect an incident light beam; a motor for turning the shaft to rotate the optical device through three-hundred-sixty degrees about an axis of rotation centered on the shaft; means for sensing the shaft rotating angular position; a light source for projecting a light beam on the optical device along the axis of rotation such that a virtual pointer is generated, the optical device enabling the virtual pointer to be aimed at the at least one set of indicia for a three-hundred-sixty degree scan around the plaque as the optical device is rotated; and a controller for receiving signals representing the measured quantities and for monitoring the angular position of the shaft provided from the sensing means, and to coordinate on/off of the light source based on the signals and the angular position.