Low Power LED Visual Messaging Device, System and Method

• US 20100090860A1
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inova Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Inova Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Moulis, Laurence E. JR., Buchanan, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US12/636,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090860A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/815.45
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0452 Details of colour pixel setup, e.g. pixel composed of a red, a blue and two green components
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A visual messaging system and device can employ high efficiency LEDs and current driven versus voltage driven circuits to reduce power consumption and enable the device to be powered from IEEE 802.3af (Power over Ethernet (PoE)) standard based power sources. The device can be powered from a local area network (LAN) connection using PoE, and does not require a separate AC power supply. The present invention also uses a 1× yellow algorithm to create the yellow color with one half the instantaneous current of previous circuits. The device can incorporate multiple message inputs for receiving and displaying messages having different priorities, allowing higher priority messages to override lower priority messages.

Claims

1. A visual display system, comprising:

a remote computer;

a visual display device in communication with the remote computer via a network interface, with the network interface permitting network communication and power provision to the visual display device, the display device further including a plurality of high efficiency aluminum-indium-gallium-phosphide light emitting diodes (AlInGaP LEDs);

a current driven power source providing power to the device; and

a remote messaging device in communication with the visual display device for communicating messages having a priority level that differs from messages sent from the remote computer to the display device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the visual display device is provided with programming for determining whether a yellow pixel is to be written and programming for writing a red pixel and a green pixel in sequence and repeatedly at a refresh rate which gives the visual impression that the pixel is illuminated yellow.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote computer provides a primary set of messages to the visual display device, and the remote messaging device provides a secondary set of messages to the visual display device, and further wherein the secondary set of messages overrides the primary set of messages such that any primary message from the remote computer being displayed on the visual display device will be interrupted when a secondary message or set of messages is received from the remote messaging device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the messages do not include word messages.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the display is adapted to receive data necessary to generate an image from the remote computer or remote messaging device for display on the display device, and further wherein the display is adapted to display the data to appear yellow visually without simultaneously displaying the image data in red and green.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the network interface permits network communication and power provision to the visual display device via a single conduit.

7. A visual display device, comprising:

a readerboard having a plurality of light emitting diodes;

a first message input element for receiving lower priority messages for display on the readerboard; and

a combined second message input/power input element for receiving higher priority messages for display on the readerboard and for receiving power from a second power source.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the second message input/power input element receives message input and power input via the same conduit.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the readerboard includes high efficiency aluminum-indium-gallium-phosphide light emitting diodes (AlInGaP LEDs) and wherein power is provided to the device from a driver providing current driven power.

10. The device of claim 7 including programming for determining whether a yellow pixel is to be written and programming for writing a red pixel and a green pixel in sequence and repeatedly at a refresh rate which gives the visual impression that the pixel is illuminated yellow.

11. The device of claim 7 including programming for overriding lower priority messages such that any lower priority message being displayed on the visual display device will be interrupted when a higher priority message is received.

12. The device of claim 7 wherein the messages do not include word messages.

13. The device of claim 7 including a central processing unit (CPU) adapted to:

receive data necessary to generate an image from the remote computer or remote messaging device for display on the display device; and

display the data to appear yellow visually without simultaneously displaying the image data in red and green.

14. A method for displaying messages on a visual messaging device, comprising the steps of:

providing a readerboard having a plurality of light emitting diodes;

providing a first message input element for receiving lower priority messages for display on the readerboard;

providing a combined second message input/power input element for receiving higher priority messages for display on the readerboard and for receiving power from a power source; and

providing a central processing unit (CPU) adapted to receive data necessary to generate an image from the remote computer or remote messaging device for display on the display device.

15. The method of claim 14 including the step of providing programming for overriding lower priority messages such that any lower priority message being displayed on the visual display device will be interrupted when a higher priority message is received.