Apparatus and method for creating a crowd-based visual display with pixels that move independently

• US 20080007498A1
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cuesta Technology Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Playmotion, LLC
• Inventors: Yu, Young Ki, Roberts, Greg, Flagg, Matthew, Roshto, Suzanne
• Granted Patent: US 8,049,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/82
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/005 forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation

Abstract

The present invention provides a light-emitting apparatus and a method by which a crowd-based display is created wherein each light-emitting apparatus represents one of many independently moving pixels in the crowd-based display. This invention also provides methods, both internal and external to the light-emitting apparatus, by which the visual display sequence is controlled to provide various forms of colorful illumination. This invention discloses a shock wave method, a time-synchronized playback method, and a laser-based actuation method for creating the visual displays of illumination.

Claims

1. A radiation-emitting device for illuminating a display sequence from one or more control sources comprising:

a radiation-emitting source; and

a control source, for controlling the display sequence emitted from the radiation-emitting source.

2. The radiation-emitting device of claim 1, wherein the radiation-emitting device represents one of a plurality of pixels in a crowd-based display composed of many radiation-emitting devices, and wherein the radiation-emitting device may independently move.

3. The radiation-emitting device of claim 1, further comprised of:

a shock sensor.

4. The radiation-emitting device of claim 1, wherein the radiation-emitting source is further comprised of:

a at least one color high-intensity LED.

5. The radiation-emitting device of claim 1, wherein the radiation-emitting source is further comprised of:

a blue high-intensity LED;

a red high-intensity LED; and

a green high-intensity LED.

6. The radiation-emitting device of claim 1, further comprised of:

an infrared high-intensity LED.

7. The radiation-emitting device of claim 1, further comprised of:

a diffuser.

8. A radiation-emitting device for illuminating a display sequence from one or more control sources comprising:

a radiation-emitting source;

an infrared receiver;

a microprocessor; and

a control source for controlling the display sequence emitted from the radiation-emitting source, comprised of;

a beam scanning galvanometer, wherein the beam scanning galvanometer scans a plurality of radiation-emitting devices;

an infrared pulse laser;

a beam expander; and

a digital control computer, wherein the digital control computer transmits a plurality of data streams to an area covering a plurality of radiation-emitting devices.

9. A radiation-emitting device for illuminating a display sequence from one or more control sources comprising:

a radiation-emitting source;

a microprocessor; and

a control source for controlling the display sequence emitted from the radiation-emitting source, comprised of;

an on-board memory storing a display sequence, wherein a first radiation-emitting source is synchronized to other radiation-emitting sources by starting playback of the display sequence at a specific, common point in time.

10. A radiation-emitting device for illuminating a display sequence from one or more control sources comprising:

a radiation-emitting source;

an infrared receiver;

a shock sensor;

a microprocessor; and

a control source for controlling the display sequence emitted from the radiation-emitting source, comprised of;

a triggering event that results from a first radiation-emitting source coming into direct contact with a second radiation-emitting source, as detected by the shock sensor located in each radiation-emitting source, wherein the radiation-emitting sources thereafter transmit a plurality of data streams to one another, from the first radiation-emitting source to the second radiation-emitting source and from the second radiation-emitting source to the radiation-emitting source, as received by the infrared receiver in each radiation-emitting device.

11. A method of controlling a display sequence emitted from a radiation-emitting device containing a shock sensor, comprised of:

tapping a first radiation-emitting device and a second radiation-emitting device against each other;

sensing a shock at the first radiation-emitting device and the second radiation-emitting device, as sensed by an on-board shock sensor within each of the first and second radiation-emitting devices;

triggering a communication event between the first and second radiation-emitting devices;

transmitting a plurality of data streams between the first radiation-emitting device and the second radiation-emitting device, wherein the plurality of data streams contain information pertaining to a display sequence being sent from the first radiation-emitting device to the second radiation-emitting device;

receiving an incoming data stream from a radiation-emitting device; and

emitting a plurality of radiation from a plurality of radiation-emitting sources located within the first and second radiation-emitting devices;

wherein a plurality of various display sequences are produced at each radiation-emitting device.

12. A method of controlling a display sequence emitted from a radiation-emitting device containing a memory, comprised of:

synchronizing the display sequence of a radiation-emitting device, wherein the synchronization of a time and a visual display content is stored and maintained in an on-board memory of a radiation-emitting device, the on-board memory storing a display sequence; and

displaying a synchronized display sequence from a radiation-emitting device;

wherein a plurality of display sequences are produced at each radiation-emitting device.

13. A method of controlling a display sequence emitted from a radiation-emitting device using laser actuation, comprised of:

activating a plurality of radiation-emitting devices in a receiver mode, wherein each radiation-emitting device is capable of receiving a plurality of data streams in an infrared receiver located within the radiation-emitting device;

scanning a plurality of radiation-emitting devices in a display area repeatedly and rapidly with an infrared laser;

transmitting a plurality of data streams originating from a digital control computer to a plurality of radiation-emitting devices in the display area, wherein the transmissions are completed by the infrared laser capable of scanning a plurality of radiation-emitting devices; and

displaying dynamically a laser-actuated display sequence from a plurality of radiation-emitting devices;

wherein a display sequence is produced at each radiation-emitting device, the display sequence originating at the digital control computer and being transmitted by an infrared laser to the radiation-emitting device; and

wherein a plurality of persons holding the radiation-emitting device may move around independently and still receive a plurality of data steams and display sequences.