Spherical Electronic LCD Display

• US 20110199286A1
• Filed: 02/13/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robin Dziama
• Original Assignee: Robin Dziama
• Inventors: Dziama, Robin
• Application Number:
  US12/705,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199286A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/82
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 27/06 Celestial globes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 27/08 Globes celestial globes G09B27/06
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]

Abstract

A spherical electronic display is disclosed that includes a spherical display screen that is able to display electronically generated images on its surface using electronic display technology included in the surface, and an electronic control unit in communication with the spherical display screen, the electronic control unit being able to cause the spherical display screen to display images. The electronically controlled spherical display uses low energy display technology, such as LCD and/or OLED electronics, included within the spherical surface. This approach avoids the need to project images onto a spherical screen, and thereby avoids any need for high energy optical projectors and their associated costs and maintenance requirements. The spherical display is connectable to an electronic control unit that can be located either within the sphere or within a support base. The electronic control unit can be a conventional computer or a self-contained, dedicated controller.

Claims

1. A spherical electronic display comprising:

a spherical display screen that is able to display electronically generated images on its surface using electronic display technology included in the surface; and

an electronic control unit in communication with the spherical display screen, the electronic control unit being able to cause the spherical display screen to display images.

2. The spherical electronic display of claim 1, wherein the electronic display technology includes at least one of:

LCD technology; and

OLED technology.

3. The spherical electronic display of claim 1, wherein the spherical display screen is able to display color images.

4. The spherical electronic display of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is located in one of:

the hollow interior of the hollow spherical display screen; and

a support base that supports the hollow spherical display screen.

5. The spherical electronic display of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is controllable by a computer.

6. The spherical electronic display of claim 5, wherein the electronic control unit is able to communicate with the computer by at least one of wired and wireless communication.

7. The spherical electronic display of claim 1, further comprising a display mount that is able to support the hollow spherical display screen.

8. The spherical electronic display of claim 7, wherein the display mount is able to support the spherical display screen from at least one of above, below, and to a side of the spherical display screen.

9. The spherical electronic display of claim 8, wherein the display mount includes at least one motor that is able to physically change the orientation of the spherical display screen.

10. The spherical electronic display of claim 9, wherein the motor is a stepper motor.

11. The spherical electronic display of claim 7, wherein the display mount includes controls that can be actuated by a user so as to control the spherical display screen.

12. The spherical electronic display of claim 1, further comprising a spherical touch-screen layer that surrounds the spherical display screen, the touch-screen layer being actuatable by a user so as to control the spherical display screen.

13. The spherical electronic display of claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit includes a memory that is able to contain information suitable for display on the spherical display screen.

14. The spherical electronic display of claim 1, wherein the spherical display screen is hollow and transparent, so that an item contained within the spherical display screen can be viewed through regions of the spherical display screen that are not actively displaying an image.

15. The spherical electronic display of claim 14, wherein the hollow spherical display screen is openable so as to allow at least one of:

placing an item within the hollow spherical display screen;

accessing an item located within the spherical display screen; and

removing an item from the spherical display screen.

16. The spherical electronic display of claim 14, further comprising an opaque, printed spherical object that is contained within the hollow spherical display screen and configured so as to allow the hollow spherical display screen to superimpose images thereupon.

17. The spherical electronic display of claim 14, further comprising an opaque electronic spherical display contained within the hollow spherical display screen and configured so as to allow the hollow spherical display screen to superimpose images thereupon.

18. The spherical electronic display of claim 17, wherein the electronic control unit is further able to control the opaque electronic spherical display.

19. The spherical electronic display of claim 14, wherein the spherical electronic display includes a plurality of nested, hollow, transparent spherical display screens.