Apparatuses, methods, and computer programs for displaying information on vehicles

• US 20020084891A1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VERT Inc.
• Original Assignee: VERT Inc.
• Inventors: Platsidakis, Michael, Harkavy, Brad, Mankins, Matt W. D., Whiton, Adam M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,850,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5037 the display content changing automatically, e.g. depending on traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/545 for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/042 the advertising matter being fixed on the roof of the vehicles

Abstract

A system for publicly displaying messages includes elements carried by an automotive vehicle. In some embodiments the vehicle carries a publicly visible electronic display; a sensor for sensing the brightness of light in the vicinity of the display; and illumination varying circuitry for varying the brightness of light generated by the display in response to brightness detected by the sensor. In some embodiments the vehicles carries a publicly visible display formed by ganging together a plurality of displays, each having at least 640×480 pixels; and video drive circuitry for causing images to be shown on the ganged display with different portions of individual images being shown on each of the individual displays. In some embodiments the vehicle has an automotive electrical system and carries a publicly visible high-bright display, capable of providing over 1000 NITS illumination and having 640 by 480 or greater pixel resolution; and video drive circuitry causing images to be shown on the display. In some embodiments the vehicle carries a publicly visible electronic display and a computer. The computer has video drive circuitry for causing images to be shown on the display, a memory device capable of storing representations of animated display images represented in vector-based form; and programming for enabling the computer to generate animated images from the vector-based animation representations. In some embodiments the vehicle receives commands and/or information controlling what it is to display via a wireless transceiver.

Claims

1. A system for publicly displaying messages comprising:

an automotive vehicle and;

the following elements carried by the vehicle;

a publicly visible electronic display;

a sensor for sensing the brightness of light in the vicinity of the display; and

illumination varying circuitry for varying the brightness of light generated by the display in response to brightness detected by the sensor.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said display is backlit display illuminated by a backlight and said illumination varying circuitry varies the brightness of said backlight.

3. A system as in claim 2 wherein said backlit display is a high-bright LCD display having over 1000 nits illumination.

4. A system as in claim 2 wherein:

said backlit display is a transreflective display which can be lit either by reflected light or by backlighting; and

the degree to which said display is lit by backlighting is controlled by said illumination varying circuitry.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein said vehicle carries at least two of said publicly visible displays, each display having an associated light sensor and illumination varying circuitry for varying the generated brightness of the display in response to the brightness detected by the display'"'"'s associated light sensor.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein each of said displays is a display which can be lit both by light incident upon the display and by light generated by the display itself under control of the illumination varying circuitry.

7. A system as in claim 5 wherein the illumination varying circuitry associated with each display varies the brightness of light generated by the associated display as a function of the output of the display'"'"'s associated light sensor, independently of the amount of light generated by the other display.

8. A system as in claim 5 wherein the illumination varying circuitry associated with each display varies the brightness of light generated by the associated display as a function of both the output of the display'"'"'s associated light sensor and the amount of light generated by the other display.

9. A system for publicly displaying messages comprising:

an automotive vehicle and;

the following elements carried by the vehicle;

a publicly visible display formed by ganging together a plurality of individual electronic displays, each having at least a resolution of 640×

480 pixels; and

video drive circuitry for generating signals to cause images to be shown on said ganged display, with different portions of individual images being shown on each of the individual displays.

10. A system as in claim 9 wherein said individual displays are high-bright LCD displays having over 1000 nits illumination.

11. A system as in claim 10 further including the following elements carried by said vehicle:

a sensor for sensing the brightness of light in vicinity of the ganged display; and

illumination varying circuitry for varying the brightness of the entire ganged display as a unit in response to brightness detected by the sensor.

12. A system as in claim 9 wherein:

there are at least two of said ganged publicly visible displays; and

the video drive circuitry is capable of driving separate images on each such ganged display.

14. A system as in claim 13 wherein:

said video drive circuitry includes a computer;

said vehicle further carries a radio connected to said computer for conveying digital information to the computer; and

said computer is programmed to generate animated images from vector-based animation files received over said radio.

15. A system as in claim 13 wherein said high-bright display is a backlit display having a light filter to provide an electronically controlled spatial pattern of variable opacity and one or more backlights to provide illumination behind said light filter.

16. A system as in claim 15 wherein said light filter is a liquid crystal light filter.

17. A system as in claim 15 wherein said backlit display is a transreflective display which can be lit by reflected light and/or by backlighting.

18. A system as in claim 15 further including a power converter carried by said vehicle for receiving a voltage from an automotive electrical system and increasing said received voltage by more than ten fold and supplying said increased voltage to said backlights.

20. A mobile display system as in claim 19 further including a radio connected to said computer for conveying digital information to the computer about which messages the computer should cause to be shown on said display, including information including said vector-based animation representations of such messages.

13. A system for publicly displaying messages comprising:

an automotive vehicle having an automotive electrical system, and

the following elements carried by the vehicle;

a publicly visible display, which is a high-bright display capable of providing over 1000 nits illumination having 640 by 480 or greater pixel resolution; and

video drive circuitry for generating signals to cause images to be shown on said display.

19. A mobile display system for publicly showing messages comprising:

an automotive vehicle; and

the following elements carried by the vehicle;

a publicly visible electronic display;

a computer having;

video drive circuitry for generating signals to cause images to be shown on said display,

a memory device capable of storing representations of animated display images represented in vector-based form; and

programming for enabling said computer to generated animated images from said vector-based animation representations.