Reticle Indicator Circuit With Variable Blink Low-Battery Warning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional low power detectors consume excessive power in optical scopes and other devices with small internal power supplies, leading to premature battery depletion and lack of warning for low power conditions.
Innovation Solution
A low power indicator circuit that consumes significantly less power, using an ultra-low power voltage monitor and a capacitor to cause the reticle or indicator to blink at varying rates based on remaining power, providing a warning without significantly shortening battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional low power detector is used to monitor battery status, then users can be warned of low power conditions, but the detector consumes excessive power leading to premature battery depletion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic blinking of the reticle instead of continuous operation of a separate indicator. The reticle blinks at different rates depending on battery voltage levels, providing low power warnings through periodic action that consumes minimal power while maintaining reliable detection and indication functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the reticle serve dual functions: both as the primary illumination target and as the low power indicator. By encoding battery status information through the reticle's blinking pattern rather than using a separate indicator component, the system achieves multi-functionality that eliminates the need for additional power-consuming indicator circuits
2Reliability
If an indicator circuit is added to show power status, then users receive timely warnings, but the circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reticle is designed to perform both its primary illumination function and secondary indicator function simultaneously. The same reticle component that displays the targeting reticle also communicates battery status through blinking patterns, eliminating the need for separate indicator LEDs or displays and thereby reducing overall circuit complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the indicator function into the existing reticle circuitry by using the reticle's on/off states and blinking rates to encode power level information. This consolidation combines multiple functions into a single integrated system rather than adding separate components, reducing circuit complexity while maintaining reliable power status indication
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The low power indicator circuit effectively warns users of low power conditions while minimizing power consumption, ensuring continuous functionality of optical scopes and other devices by blinking the reticle or indicator, with the blink rate indicating the power level, thus preventing unexpected loss of reticle display.
Implementation Method 1
a voltage monitor coupled to the capacitor and operable to detect voltage across the capacitor
Implementation Method 2
an illumination light emitting diode (LED) connected in series. Current flows through the resistor and the LED, and the LED generates light
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
An apparatus includes one or more LEDs (304) configured to be coupled to a power supply (302) and to generate illumination, such as to generate a reticle (200) in an optical scope (104). The apparatus also includes a first switch (316) coupled in series with the one or more LEDs. The first switch is configured to selectively activate and deactivate the one or more LEDs based on whether the first switch is turned on or off. The apparatus further includes a low power detector (308) configured to sense a low power condition of the power supply and to repeatedly turn the first switch on and off in response to the low power condition to cause the one or more LEDs to blink. The low power detector is configured to turn the first switch on and off at a given rate, and the given rate increases as the power supply is depleted.