16 Segment LED project help required

[Identity_Crisis]

I am trying to make a custom automotive component.

Instead of having the usual P,R,N,D,3,2,1 on my cars shifter console I want to have a RED LED 16 segment illuminate the shifters position.

I have worked with some electronics in the past but I am unsure how to set this up.

ON the mechanical side I will have to set up a 12V activation switching from the shifter to the electronics. This wont be that hard.

Can anyone tell me how to and what to use to wire up a single 15 Segment LED?

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge.
Shawn

 

[ericgibbs]

I am trying to make a custom automotive component.

Instead of having the usual P,R,N,D,3,2,1 on my cars shifter console I want to have a RED LED 16 segment illuminate the shifters position.

I have worked with some electronics in the past but I am unsure how to set this up.

ON the mechanical side I will have to set up a 12V activation switching from the shifter to the electronics. This wont be that hard.

Can anyone tell me how to and what to use to wire up a single 15 Segment LED?

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge.
Shawn

hi and welcome,
You could use a 16LED driver IC, see image and/or a PIC [mcu] and two 8 bit shift registers.

 

[mbarazeen]

since you have only one switch activated at a time, you can simply wire the power via diodes. example to display "3" you need 5 diodes from particular position switch to the segment to be displayed. to display "1" you need 2 diodes & so on.

 

[jbeng]

A simple solution is the "diode ROM" mentioned by mbarazeen. All you need is the display and a handful of resistors and diodes.

Which type of display do you intend to use, common anode or common cathode?