17segment

17segment is a type of alphanumeric display that uses 17 individually lit segments to form numerals, letters, and some punctuation. The display can be implemented with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and is typically driven by multiplexed electronics to minimize wiring.

Design and characteristics: The exact segment layout varies by manufacturer, but the concept is to arrange horizontal, vertical, and diagonal segments so that a broad set of characters can be formed with a relatively small footprint. The addition of a 17th segment over common 16segment designs is intended to improve the rendering of certain characters and signs, increasing legibility in low-resolution displays.

Comparison and use: A 17segment offers more character capability than a 7segment display while requiring more I/O lines and more complex drive circuitry. It is generally less common than 14segment and 16segment formats and has largely been superseded in new designs by dot matrix LCDs and high-density LED/LCD modules, but it remains in use in some legacy equipment and niche applications where simple character rendering is sufficient.

Applications: Used in electronic meters, automotive dashboards, information displays, and some calculators or clocks from earlier decades. It is valued for its balance between readability and component count compared with dot matrices.

See also: 14segment display, 16segment display, dot matrix display.