Display device

• US 20050237272A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jessica Josephson, Rikayo Horimizu, Shuji Inaba
• Original Assignee: Jessica Josephson, Rikayo Horimizu, Shuji Inaba
• Inventors: Horimizu, Rikayo, Josephson, Jessica, Inaba, Shuji
• Application Number:
  US11/088,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20050237272A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/46
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/14 Semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/39 Control of the bit-mapped memory

Abstract

A device for displaying messages method of using the same, and machine readable program are provided. The device includes an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end and defines a longitudinal axis. The device further includes a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, where the proximal end of the housing is coupled to the distal end of the elongate member. The housing includes a plurality of light-emitting devices disposed therein. The light emitting devices are oriented along the longitudinal axis. The device also includes a power source and a processor. The processor is operably coupled to the power source and light-emitting devices, wherein the processor is configured to cause the light emitting devices to emit light at predetermined intervals. The device causes a message to be displayed to an observer when the device is rotated about an axis of rotation at a predetermined rotational velocity.

Claims

1. A device for displaying messages, comprising:

an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis;

a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the housing coupled to the distal end of the elongate member, the housing including a plurality of light-emitting devices disposed therein, the light emitting devices being oriented along the longitudinal axis;

a power source; and

a processor, the processor operably coupled to the power source and light-emitting devices, wherein the processor is configured to cause the light emitting devices to emit light at predetermined intervals;

wherein the device causes a message to be displayed to an observer when the device is rotated about an axis of rotation at a predetermined rotational velocity.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to display a message at one or more predetermined rotational velocities.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to display a first message at a first rotational velocity, and a second, different message at a second rotational velocity.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to display the same message over a plurality of different rotational velocities.

5. The device of claim 1, further including a velocity detector operably connected to the processor, the velocity detector configured to detect the speed of the device.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the velocity detector comprises a rotational potentiometer operably coupled to the processor.

7. The device of claim 5, further comprising a hub connected to the proximal end of the elongate member, wherein the velocity detector is located proximate to the hub.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the velocity detector directly measures the tangential velocity of the device.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to cause the light emitting elements to emit light in response to a rotational velocity measured using the velocity detector.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a handle mounted to the hub.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the power source is in the handle.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to display a symbol.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the power source is an electrical generator.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein electrical power is generated by the generator when the device is rotated.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the generator is configured to measure rotational velocity of device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the device is mounted to a wheel of a vehicle.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the device is mounted to a vehicle used for public transportation, and the device is used to display advertising messages.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the device is mounted to a fan.

19. A method for displaying messages, comprising:

providing an elongate device, the elongate device having a proximal end, a distal end, and defining a longitudinal direction, the device including a plurality of light emitting devices disposed therein proximate the distal end, the light emitting devices being oriented along the longitudinal axis;

operating a power source and a processor operably coupled to the power source and light-emitting devices to cause the light emitting devices to emit light at predetermined intervals;

rotating the device about an axis of rotation wherein the longitudinal axis defines a radius of a substantially planar viewing plane;

displaying a message to an observer when the device is rotated at a predetermined rotational velocity.

20. A machine readable program containing instructions for controlling a device to display messages, the device having an axis of rotation, an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis, a power source, a processor operably coupled to the power source, and a plurality of light emitting devices operably coupled to the processor and arranged along the longitudinal axis, wherein the program comprises:

means for operating the processor to cause the light emitting devices to display a message to an observer in a substantially planar viewing plane when the device is rotated at a predetermined rotational velocity, the viewing plane defined by rotating the device about the axis of rotation.