JP4890332B2 - Number indicator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention belongs to the technical field of a number indicator that displays a desired numerical value (number) character by combining light emitting segments using light emitting elements (LED, LCD, etc.). The present invention relates to a number indicator that is arranged close to a single stroke so that it can be easily seen by low-sighted people and visually-impaired people, and can be easily identified from a distance.

Conventionally, for example, as shown in FIG. 5C, a number display unit generally displays a number 1 to 10 divided into 7 segments.
The above-mentioned display device for displaying numbers in 7 segments is disclosed in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2, and various devices are added to various display control methods.
Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a multi-segment including 16 segments as shown in FIG. 6 and having a red LED and a green LED in each segment.

JP-A-9-92888 JP-A-9-146478 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-6257

Configured number display 7-segment disclosed in Figure 5C and Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above is widely carried out with the display method can be most inexpensively configured.
However, as shown in the figure, the 7-segment number is incomplete and difficult to see compared to a handwritten number or a typical typeface number. For example, the center of the number appears to be unnaturally depressed (see numbers 0, 6, 8, and 9), the baseline is shifted (see numbers 1, 4, and 7), and the line length is unnatural. (See numbers 2, 3, and 5). It is pointed out that these display problems are often difficult for low-sighted and visually impaired people to recognize numbers, and that appropriate numbers are recognized based on pre- and post-textual and contextual relationships. ing. In particular, it is known that 3 and 8 are difficult to distinguish because the central lateral side is composed of one segment. Therefore, it may not be possible to find a display device that displays a contact number called by a bank or the like.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the technology composed of 16 segments disclosed in Patent Document 3 has a configuration in which segments are increased to represent alphanumeric characters . Therefore, the above-mentioned problems still remain.

Recently, companies have been encouraged to use universal design (sometimes abbreviated as UD). Universal design is the design (design) of facilities, products, and information that can be used regardless of differences in culture and language, age, gender, disability, or ability.
From the above point of view, there is a need for a number display that is easy to understand and easy to see for the visually impaired and visually impaired, but the number display with such a design has not yet been seen or heard.

  The present invention arranges the shape of a number close to a single stroke or usual type, realizes a number display close to a font design written by a person at low cost, clearly as a number written by low vision and visually impaired persons An object of the present invention is to provide a number indicator that can be identified and easily seen from a distance.

As means for solving the above-described problems of the prior art, the number indicator according to the invention described in claim 1 is:
In number indicator provided with an array of shaped plurality of light-emitting segments 8 in which a light-emitting element,
The eleven light emitting segments are formed in an R shape at the outer corners of the four corners of the 8-shaped array,
Among the light emitting segments of the figure 8 array, the central horizontal side segment is composed of three main segments of the rectangular shape and partial segments forming part of the vertical side portions on the left and right sides. The partial segment is connected to the side portion in a tall bowl shape extending over the width of the side portion in the vertical direction,
Right lower outer corners, and R shape segment f, is composed of two squaring segment g to complement the shape towards its outer,
The squaring segment g is configured to emit light at numerals 1, 2, 4, and 7.

The invention described in claim 2 is the number indicator according to claim 1,
The upper horizontal side segment in the figure 8 array has two main corner segments L ′, M obtained by dividing a rectangular main upper side segment b ′ and R-shaped portions at both left and right ends thereof in the radial direction from the inner corner. It consists of 'and N', O '
The corner segments L ′, M ′, N ′, and O ′ at both ends are the only two corner segments N ′ and O ′ at the right end when the numeral 1 is displayed. The display is characterized in that two corner segments L ′ and M ′ and N ′ and O ′ are emitted at the two ends .

In the number display device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the eleven light-emitting segments have R-shaped outer corners at the four corners in the 8-shaped array, the central lateral side segment is the main central side segment k, and its right and left It is composed of three partial segments j and d that form part of the side portions in the vertical direction on both sides, and the partial segments j and d are tall bowl-shaped shapes that extend across the width of the side portions in the vertical direction. The lower right outer corner is composed of an R-shaped segment f and a cornering segment g that complements the outer rectangular shape, and the cornering segment g is a number 1 2, 4, and 7, the numbers are displayed in a clear shape close to a single stroke, and the numbers 0, 6, 8, and 9 at the center of the conventional numbers Of unnatural depressions and baselines (lower right corner) of numbers 1, 4 and 7 Misalignment and the unnaturalness of the lengths of the numbers 2, 3, and 5 were eliminated.
Thereon, the central horizontal side has a main central side segment k of the rectangular, partial segment j, which forms part of the side portion of the vertical direction of the left and right sides, since it is configured with three and d, major central The side segment k is shorter than the upper and lower horizontal side segments b and h, the difference between the numbers 3 and 8 is obvious, and the visual distinction is clear.
Therefore, even in low vision and visual defectives can clearly identify the numerical value notation, legible from a distance, it can be realized is meaningful number.
In addition, it can contribute to the realization of universal design in the number indicator that has not been developed yet.

In the invention described in claim 2, the upper horizontal side segment in the figure 8 array is divided into two main parts b ′ having a rectangular shape and R-shaped parts at both right and left ends thereof in the radial direction from the inner corner. Each of the corner segments L ′, M ′, N ′, and O ′. The corner segments L ′, M ′, N ′, and O ′ at the both ends are the two at the right end when the numeral 1 is displayed. Only the corner segments N ′, O ′ are configured to emit two corner segments L ′, M ′ and N ′, O ′ at both ends when displaying other numbers 0 and 2-9. since the corner end of each digit appears in the smooth shape without sharpened, it becomes very easy to see in place closer to the single stroke.

The present invention is a number indicator 1 in which a plurality of light-emitting segments each having a light-emitting element are provided in an 8-shaped array.
The eleven light emitting segments a to g are formed in an R shape with four corners in an 8-shaped array.
Among the light emitting segments of the figure 8 array, the central horizontal side segment is a partial segment that forms part of the main central segment k and the vertical side portions (a, i, c, e) on both the left and right sides thereof. j, d, and the partial segments j, d are shaped to connect the side portions (a, i, c, e) in the vertical direction.
The lower right outer corner is composed of an R-shaped segment f and a cornering segment g that complements the rectangular shape on the outer side, and the cornering segment f is emitted by numerals 1, 2, 4, and 7. This is a configuration.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the number display 1 of the present invention is suitably implemented as a large window number display with a speaker S installed in a bank or the like, for example. The dimensions of the illustrated display are about 70 mm in length and about 100 mm in width.

Next, the configuration of the number display 1 of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to FIG.
The number indicator 1 is composed of a plate-like display monitor 2 in which light emitting elements are arranged on the surface to form a screen, and a base 3 attached to both upper and lower edges of the display monitor 2.

The display monitor 2 composed of the light emitting elements is provided with segments for displaying numbers. The segment is divided into 11 pieces (a to g) and arranged in an 8-shaped form. Specifically, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) display that can perform light emission control with reduced power consumption is used, and each light emitting element is controlled, and the light emitting elements of the segments a to g corresponding to the corresponding numbers. Is emitted in white, and a light-emitting element not related to the numerical display emits light in blue or black, thereby displaying an easy-to-read number. The light emitting device of the present invention is a generic term for LED or LCD.
FIG. 2 shows a number display 1 that displays a three-digit numerical value, and segments a to g are arranged at positions X, Y, and Z from the left.

Pad-shaped terminal portions 4 (1 a to 3 g) are provided at side edge portions at both upper and lower ends of the base 3. The terminal portion 4 (1a to 3g...) Is electrically connected to the light emitting elements corresponding to the segments a to g arranged in the X, Y, and Z as shown in the drawing, and sends a light emission signal. These signals are ON / OFF controlled by each logic circuit 5 and control IC 6 connected to each of the terminals as shown in the right figure, and a desired numeric signal is transmitted. A program for controlling the control device and displaying numbers is stored in the connected CPU 7, the numerical display control memory in the memory 8, and the program memory.
The pad-like terminal portion 4 is provided with a common terminal portion 4a, and a common power source is connected to the terminal portion 4a.

The structure of the segments ag arrange | positioned at XZ mentioned above is demonstrated. The present invention is characterized by the arrangement of segments forming a numeric font.
The segments are divided into a total of 11 segments a to g as described above, and are arranged in an 8-character shape. At that time, the outer peripheral end of the segment is rounded so that the four corners are rounded.
The central horizontal side segment is composed of a rectangular main central side segment k and partial segments j and d forming part of the vertical side portions a, i, c, and e on both left and right sides. , the partial segment j, d has led the vertical side portion a and i, c and the side portion a in tall bowl shape spanning the width dimension of e and i, and c and e.
Since the central side segment is composed of three segments as described above, the center side segment k is shorter than the upper side segment b or the lower side segment h, so the number 3 is distinguished from the number 8. It becomes easy to do.

  The lower right outer corner is composed of an R-shaped segment f and a cornering segment g that complements the rectangular shape on the outside thereof. The numbers that cause the squaring segment g to emit light are 1, 2, 4, and 7 (see FIG. 5A). When applied to the above numbers, the corners of the numbers (in the order of writing) seem to be firmly fixed without sharp edges, making it easier to see close to a brush.

  Next, the display method will be described taking the display of numeral 124 shown in FIG. 1 as an example. First, in order to display numbers, the CPU 7 controls the control memory and program memory stored in the memory 8 so that the control IC 6 sends them to the logic circuit 5 as light emission signals. The numeral 1 receives the light emission signal, turns on the terminals 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, and 3g of the terminal unit 4 and causes the corresponding segments Xc, Xd, Xe, Xf, and Xg to emit light. 2 receives the light emission signal, turns on the terminals 2b, 2c, 2d, 2k, 2j, 2i, 2h, 2f, and 2g of the terminal unit 4, and corresponding segments Yb, Yc, Yd, Yk, Yj, Yi, Yh, Yf and Yg are emitted. 4 also receives the light emission signal, turns on the terminals 1a, 1j, 1k, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f, and 1g of the terminal unit 4, and corresponding segments Za, Zj, Zk, Zc, Zd, Ze, Zf , Zg emits light.

  In the present invention, since each segment is configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 5A, the display is smooth and soft, and it is arranged in a clear display close to a one-stroke drawing. Line deviations and unnatural line lengths are eliminated, and even for low-sighted people and visually-impaired people, numerical values can be clearly identified, and numbers that are easy to see even from a distance can be provided. In addition, it can contribute to the realization of universal design in the number display that has not been developed yet.

Next, the number display 1 ′ described in claim 2 shown in FIG. 3 will be described. The second embodiment has substantially the same technical idea as the first embodiment, and only the differences will be described.
That is, although the segment which represents the number of Example 1 was divided into 11 (ag), it is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. The total number of segments is 15 including a rectangular upper segment b ′ and corner segments L ′, M ′, N ′ , and O ′ that divide the R shape into two in the radial direction from the inner corner to the left and right ends ( a′˜Ο ′). As shown in FIG. 5B, the corner segments L ′, M ′ and N ′ , O ′ are displayed when only the rightmost two corner segments N ′, O ′ are replaced with other numbers 0, And 2-9, two corner segments L ′, M ′, N ′, and O ′ at both ends emit light, and the upper ends of 1 to 7 are filled with unnatural sharpness. The corners of the numbers can be made very smooth without sharp edges.
Incidentally, since the cost increases as the segments are finely divided, it is preferably within 11 to 20 segments.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of the number indicator of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the internal structure of the number indicator of this invention. It is a figure which shows one embodiment of the number display of Example 2. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of segment arrangement according to the second embodiment. A is an 11 segment number display described in the first embodiment of the present invention. B is the number display described in Example 2 of the present invention. C is a diagram showing a conventional 7-segment number display. It is the reference figure which showed the number display of the conventional 16 segments.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Number display device 2 Display monitor 3 Base 4 Terminal part 5 Logic circuit 6 Control IC
7 CPU
8 memory

Claims (2)

In number indicator provided with an array of shaped plurality of light-emitting segments 8 in which a light-emitting element,
The eleven light emitting segments are formed in an R shape at the outer corners of the four corners of the 8-shaped array,
Among the light emitting segments of the figure 8 array, the central horizontal side segment is composed of three main segments of a rectangular shape and partial segments forming part of the vertical side portions on both the left and right sides. The partial segment is connected to the side portion in a tall bowl shape extending over the width of the side portion in the vertical direction,
The outer corner of the lower right and R shape segment, is composed of two squaring segment that complements the shape towards its outer, the angle with segments emitted in figures 1,2,4,7 A number indicator characterized by having a configuration. Upper horizontal side segments in a figure-eight sequence is composed of a main upper segment of the rectangular shape, the corner segment from the inner corner of the R-shaped portion of the left and right ends by two was bisected in the radial direction,
The corner segments at both ends are configured such that only the two rightmost corner segments are displayed when the number 1 is displayed, and two corner segments at both ends are emitted when the other numbers 0 and 2-9 are displayed. A number indicator characterized by being.

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