Any interest in stand-alone LED display/meter?

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Development
#1

I'm desigining a range of boards for my own purposes but recently realised that by adding a few components I can make them Arduino compatable/clones.

The first one is a 3-digit 7-seg LED display with pushbuttons, my use for this is as a generic display of sensor data, for example to show volts, current, temp etc for a battery bank. Press one button for volts, another for current etc etc.

Another use is a fridge monitor that shows fridge temp, frezzer temp, average current etc.

Here's a preview of the board.

quub.robgray.com/stackables/hmi-led/hmi-led.png

A web page with more details

quub.robgray.com/stackables/hmi-led/index.php

It's 1.8x1.8" in size so different form factor to Arduino but has a Mega328 so should be compatable software wise.

Some other features,

  • 6-30v VIN
  • Power under uC control, push on/push off on one of the buttons.
  • Buzzer for alarms.
  • Fits into 2x2" alum tube so a reasonable enclosure can be cheaply made.
  • Connections through the rear so enclosure can be mounted with no visible wires.
  • All open source.

Why only 3 digits? Because for the above uses that's enough resolution. Why LEDs? Because you can read them from across the room.

Anyway the purpose of this post it to see if this is even vaguely interesting to the Arduino community. If so I'll add the components to make it compatable, if not I may still do so but the board is pretty tight so I will be less inclined to squeeze more components on :)

Rob

#2

No responses, guess that answers the question :)

Rob

#3

One day might be a bit too quick to reach a conclusion.

Just to clarify, I'm not interested.. but I do see at least one thing that would make it a lot more versatile. You actually mentioned it yourself, indirectly.

Why only 3 digits? Because for the above uses that's enough resolution.

If you turn it into 4 digits, it becomes a lot more versatile because suddenly you can display the time aswell, allowing it to be used for clocks and such aswell. Most numbers can indeed be displayed with enough accuracy with just 3 digits, but since its a generic 7-segment display.. you can use the fourth one to display units aswell, like they used to do in ye' olde days :P

#4

I'll have a look into 4 digits, the driver chip I'm using is actually a 4-digit chip so that's a no-brainer, it's the display size that's a problem. I've only got 46mm to fit the digits so if I go to four they get much smaller. At present I've got .56" (14mm) digits, I'd have to go down to 10mm from what I've been able to find so far.

I'll have another search, there must be some large-number-small-package displays somewhere.

Rob

#5