Gauge calibration method

1. An instrument panel gauge assembly comprising:

an applique having gauge graphics printed thereon;

a needle pointer for a gauge assembly;

a transparent chaplet formed within the applique to allow ambient light to pass through the applique, the transparent chaplet being positioned such that the needle pointer passes over the transparent chaplet as the needle pointer moves relative to the applique,

the transparent chaplet being sized relative to the width of the needle pointer such that when the needle pointer is positioned directly in front of the transparent chaplet, ambient light is substantially blocked from passing through the transparent chaplet;

a light sensing element positioned behind the applique to detect the presence of light passing through the transparent chaplet formed within the applique;

a light baffle positioned behind the applique and adapted to guide light passing through the transparent chaplet to the light sensing element;

a controller, the light sensing element adapted to send a signal to the controller indicating when the needle pointer is directly in front of the transparent chaplet based upon the absence of light passing through the transparent chaplet, the controller further adapted to compare the actual input to the gauge with the position of the needle pointer, calculate a correction factor, and calibrate the gauge accordingly.

2. The instrument panel gauge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light sensing element is one of a photoresistor, a photodiode, and a phototransistor that is adapted to send a signal to the controller for a voltage corresponding to the light that the light sensing element is receiving.

3. The instrument panel gauge assembly of claim 2 , wherein the light sensing element is adapted to send two signals, a first signal to indicate that the light sensing element is receiving light, indicating that the needle pointer is not positioned directly in front of the transparent chaplet, and a second signal to indicate that the light sensing element is not receiving light, indicating that the needle pointer is positioned directly in front of the transparent chaplet.

4. The instrument panel gauge assembly of claim 1 wherein the light sensing element is mounted onto a surface behind the applique, the light baffle being conical shaped and extending from a rear surface of the applique to the support surface onto which the light sensing element is mounted, the light sensing element being positioned within the conical shaped light baffle.

5. The instrument panel gauge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes autocalibration algorithms adapted to feed a known signal to the gauge assembly to cause the needle pointer to move, read an input from the light sensing element, compare the signal to the position of the needle pointer, and calculate a correction factor that is stored in the non-volitile memory of the controller.

6. A method of internally auto-calibrating an instrument panel gauge assembly comprising:

providing an applique having gauge graphics printed thereon and a needle pointer for a gauge assembly, the applique having a transparent chaplet formed therein to allow ambient light to pass through the applique, the transparent chaplet being positioned such that the needle pointer passes over the transparent chaplet as the needle pointer moves relative to the applique, the transparent chaplet being sized relative to the width of the needle pointer such that when the needle pointer is positioned directly in front of the transparent chaplet, ambient light is substantially blocked from passing through the transparent chaplet;

providing a light sensing element positioned behind the applique to detect the presence of light passing through the transparent chaplet formed within the applique and to send a corresponding signal;

providing a controller;

sensing the presence of light passing through the transparent chaplet within the applique and sending a corresponding signal to the controller, simultaneously sending a known signal from the controller to the instrument panel gauge assembly, thereby causing the needle pointer to move to a position relative to the applique;

comparing the known signal to the signal from the light sensor;

calculating a correction factor and storing the correction factor in a non-volitile memory of the controller, and calibrating the gauge accordingly.

7. The method of internally auto-calibrating an instrument panel gauge assembly of claim 6 , wherein providing a light sensing element includes providing a light sensing element that is one of a photoresistor, a photodiode, and a phototransistor that is adapted to send a signal to the controller for a voltage corresponding to the light that the light sensing element is receiving.

8. The method of internally auto-calibrating an instrument panel gauge assembly of claim 7 , wherein sensing the presence of light passing through the transparent chaplet within the applique and sending a corresponding signal to the controller includes sending one of a first signal and a second signal, the first signal indicating that the light sensing element is receiving light and the needle pointer is not positioned directly in front of the transparent chaplet, the second signal indicating that the light sensing element is not receiving light and the needle pointer is positioned directly in front of the transparent chaplet.

9. The method of internally auto-calibrating an instrument panel gauge assembly of claim 6 wherein providing a light sensing element positioned behind the applique includes mounting the light sensing element onto a support surface behind the applique, the method further including providing a conical shaped light baffle and mounting the light baffle such that the light baffle extends from a rear surface of the applique to the support surface onto which the light sensing element is mounted and mounting the light sensing element within the conical shaped light baffle.