Light emitting diode display system

• US 20080007181A1
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Pickering
• Original Assignee: William Pickering
• Inventors: Pickering, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,473,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/14 Arrangements of reflectors therein
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) display, including: drive circuitry; a control processor; a frame including two edges; multiple cables extending rigidly between the two edges of the frame; and at least one pixel module coupled to each cable. Each cable includes a power wire coupled to the drive circuitry, a ground wire, and at least one data bus wire coupled to the control circuitry. Each pixel module includes: a power electrode coupled to the power wire of the coupled cable; a ground electrode coupled to the ground wire of the coupled cable; a bus electrode coupled to the data bus wire of the coupled cable; an LED light source; and pixel control circuitry coupled to the electrodes and the LED light source. The pixel control circuitry is adapted to drive the LED light source with a drive current based on a control signal received from bus electrode.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) display, comprising:

drive circuitry to provide a drive current;

a control processor to provide a control signal;

a frame including a first edge and a second edge;

a plurality of cables extending rigidly from the first edge of the frame to the second edge of the frame, each cable including a power wire electrically coupled to the drive circuitry to transmit a portion of the drive current, a ground wire, and at least one data bus wire coupled to the control circuitry to transmit at least a portion of the control signal; and

at least one pixel module coupled to each cable, each pixel module including;

a power electrode electrically coupled to the power wire of the coupled cable to receive a portion of the drive current transmitted by the coupled cable;

a ground electrode electrically coupled to the ground wire of the coupled cable;

a bus electrode electrically coupled to the data bus wire of the coupled cable to receive the portion of the control signal transmitted by the coupled cable;

an LED light source; and

pixel control circuitry electrically coupled to the power electrode, the ground electrode, the bus electrode, and the LED light source, the pixel control circuitry adapted to drive the LED light source with the drive current based on the portion of the control signal received from bus electrode.

2. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the control processor includes at least one of a general purpose computer, a digital signal processor, a digital video interface, special purpose video control circuitry, or an application specific integrated circuit.

3. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the frame defines one of a planar display surface or a curved display surface.

4. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes one of a transparent faceplate or translucent faceplate.

5. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes one of a solid faceplate or a permeable faceplate.

6. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first edge or the second edge of the frame is curved.

7. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the first edge of the frame is parallel to the second edge of the frame.

8. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein:

the frame further includes a third edge; and

a further plurality of cables extend rigidly from the first edge of the frame to the third edge of the frame.

9. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cables are parallel.

10. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the power wire, the ground wire, and the at least one data bus wire of each cable are at least three separate wires strung in parallel between the first edge of the frame and the second edge of the frame.

11. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein each cable further includes an electrically insulating ribbon to which the power wire, the ground wire, and the at least one data bus wire are mechanically coupled.

12. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the power wire, the ground wire, or the at least one data bus wire of each cable is surrounded by an electrically insulating layer; and

at least one corresponding power electrode, ground electrode, or data bus electrode of each pixel module is adapted to pierce the electrically insulating layer surrounding the at least one of the power wire, the ground wire, or the at least one data bus wire to which the pixel module is coupled.

13. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pixel modules are coupled to each cable at substantially equal spacings.

14. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein each pixel module further includes a coupling clamp, the coupling clamp being adapted such that the pixel module is moveable along a length of the corresponding cable.

15. The LED display according to claim 14, wherein the coupling clamp is further adapted such that the power electrode is brought into contact with the power wire of the coupled cable, the ground electrode is brought into contact with the ground wire of the coupled cable and the bus electrode is brought into contact with the data bus wire of s the coupled cable when the pixel module is coupled to the corresponding cable.

16. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the LED light source of each pixel module is a white LED.

17. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein the LED light source of each pixel module includes a red LED, a blue LED, and a green LED.

18. The LED display according to claim 1, wherein each pixel module further includes an other LED light source arranged to emit light in a direction substantially opposite to a direction that the LED light source emits light.

19. The LED display according to claim 18, wherein the pixel control circuitry of each pixel module is adapted such that the LED light source and the other LED light source emit light substantially synchronously.

20. The LED display according to claim 18, wherein each pixel module further includes:

a rigid, thermally conductive substrate having a front face, a back face substantially opposite the front face, and a side face substantially perpendicular to the front face and the back face and extending between the front face and the back face; and

a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) laminated on the front face, the back face, and the side face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate such that the FPCB is thermally and mechanically coupled to the rigid, thermally conductive substrate and the FPCB is not electrically coupled to the rigid, thermally conductive substrate;

wherein;

the pixel control circuitry is mounted on the FPCB;

the power electrode, the ground electrode, and the bus electrode are mounted on a side portion of the FPCB corresponding to the side face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate;

the LED light source is mounted on a front portion of the FPCB corresponding to the front face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate; and

the other LED light source is mounted on a back portion of the FPCB corresponding to the back face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate.

21. The LED display according to claim 20, wherein the front face and the back face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate of each pixel module extend such that the side face is not visible to a viewer of the LED display.

22. A light emitting diode (LED) display, comprising:

drive circuitry to provide a drive current;

a control processor to provide a control signal;

a curved frame including an edge;

a plurality of cables, each cable extending rigidly from one location on the edge of the curved frame to another location of the edge of the curved frame and including;

a power wire electrically coupled to the drive circuitry to transmit a portion of the drive current;

a ground wire; and

at least one data bus wire coupled to the control circuitry to transmit at least a portion of the control signal; and

at least one pixel module moveably coupled to each cable, each pixel module including;

a power electrode electrically coupled to the power wire of the coupled cable to receive a portion of the drive current transmitted by the coupled cable;

a ground electrode electrically coupled to the ground wire of the coupled cable;

a bus electrode electrically coupled to the data bus wire of the coupled cable to receive the portion of the control signal transmitted by the coupled cable;

an LED light source; and

pixel control circuitry electrically coupled to the power electrode, the ground electrode, the bus electrode, and the LED light source, the pixel control circuitry adapted to drive the LED light source with the drive current based on the portion of the control signal received from bus electrode.

23. The LED display according to claim 22, wherein the frame surrounds and defines a planar display surface.

24. The LED display according to claim 22, wherein the frame surrounds and defines a curved display surface.

25. The LED display according to claim 22, wherein the edge of the curved frame is a closed curve.

26. The LED display according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of cables are parallel.

27. A pixel module for a two sided light emitting diode (LED) display, comprising:

a rigid, thermally conductive substrate having a front face, a back face substantially opposite the front face, and a side face substantially perpendicular to the s front face and the back face and extending between the front face and the back face;

a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) laminated on the front face, the back face, and the side face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate such that the FPCB is thermally and mechanically coupled to the rigid, thermally conductive substrate and the FPCB is not electrically coupled to the rigid, thermally conductive substrate;

a power electrode mounted on a side portion of the FPCB corresponding to the side face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate, the power electrode adapted to receive a drive current;

a ground electrode mounted on the side portion of the FPCB;

a bus electrode mounted on the side portion of the FPCB, the bus electrode adapted to receive a control signal;

a first LED light source mounted on a front portion of the FPCB corresponding to the front face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate;

a second LED light source mounted on a back portion of the FPCB corresponding to the back face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate; and

pixel control circuitry mounted on the FPCB, the pixel control circuitry;

electrically coupled to the power electrode, the ground electrode, the bus electrode, the first LED light source, and the second LED light source; and

adapted to drive the first LED light source and the second LED light source with the drive current based on the control signal received from bus electrode.

28. The pixel module according to claim 27, wherein the rigid, thermally conductive substrate is formed of at least one of aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper.

29. The pixel module according to claim 27, wherein the front face and the back face of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate of each pixel module extend such that the side face is not visible to a viewer of the LED display.

30. The pixel module according to claim 29, wherein a cross-section of the rigid, thermally conductive substrate in a plane perpendicular to the front face, the back face, and the side face is one of an I-shape, a dumbbell shape, or a bracket shape.

31. The pixel module according to claim 27, further comprising a coupling clamp adapted to moveably couple the pixel module to a cable.

32. The pixel module according to claim 31, wherein the coupling clamp is further adapted such that the power electrode is brought into contact with a power wire of the cable, the ground electrode is brought into contact with a ground wire of the cable and the bus electrode is brought into contact with a data bus wire of the cable when the pixel module is coupled to the cable by the coupling clamp.

33. The pixel module according to claim 27, wherein the first LED light source and the second LED light source are white LED'"'"'s.

34. The LED display according to claim 27, wherein the first LED light source and the second LED light source each includes a red LED, a blue LED, and a green LED.

35. The pixel module according to claim 27, wherein the pixel control circuitry of each pixel module is adapted such that the first LED light source and the second LED light source emit light substantially synchronously.